The following reports confirm the value of our Silver treatment.

Medical and Scientific studies

SILVER KILLS VIRUSES, STUDY FINDS

Tuesday, October 18, 2005 - FreeMarketNews.com
In a groundbreaking study, the Journal of Nanotechnology has published a study that found silver nanoparticles kills HIV-1 and is likely to kill virtually any other virus. The study, which was conducted by the University of Texas and Mexico University, is the first medical study to ever explore the benefits of silver nanoparticles, according to Physorg.

During the study, researchers used three different methods of limiting the size of the silver nanoparticles by using capping agents. The capping agents were foamy carbon, poly (PVP), and bovine serum albumin (BSA). The particles ranged in size from 1 to 10 nanometers depending on the method of capping. After incubating the HIV-1 virus at 37 C, the silver particles killed 100% of the virus within 3 hours for all three methods. The scientists believe that the silver particles bonded through glycoprotein knobs on the virus with spacing of about 22 nanometers in length.

While further research is needed, researchers are optimistic that nanological silver may be the silver bullet to kill viruses. The researchers in the study said that they had already begin experiments using silver nanoparticles to kill what is known as the super bug (Methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus). Already used as a topical antibiotic in the medical industry, silver may now come under consideration as an alternative to drugs when it comes to fighting previously untreatable viruses such as the Tamiflu resistant avian flu.

Nanotech Silver Fights Microbes in Medical Devices

Copyright ©2005 Medical Device & Diagnostic Industry
Originally Published MDDI May 2005
Nanoengineering could solve problems associated with applying silver as an antimicrobial agent to medical devices.

David Tobler is the managing director of Nexxion Corp., a subsidiary of Ionic Fusion Corp. (Longmont, CO). Lenna Warner is vice president and principal at Mamalu Partners Inc. (Palm Beach, FL), a media relations company specializing in nanotechnology.

David Tobler and Lenna Warner

The number of infections linked to medical devices has fueled an explosion of research in surface science. The goal is to find a way to prevent the conditions that trigger life-threatening bloodstream infections.

Nosocomial, or hospital-related bacterial infections, are estimated to be the fifth-leading cause of death in the United States, after heart disease, cancer, stroke, and pneumonia or flu.1 The Centers for Disease Control estimate that nosocomial infections cost hospitals more than $2300 per patient for diagnosis and treatment. Many instances, such as vascular catheter infection, can cost $25,000 per episode. Overall, the infections cost hospitals $4.8 billion annually in extended care and treatment.

Pathogens mutate quickly and render antibiotics useless in fighting them. A great majority of healthcare-acquired infections involve many of the pathogens displaying antimicrobial resistance.2 Therefore, silver’s medicinal importance in combating these infections cannot be underestimated.

Silver is effective across a broad range of bacteria and against mutating pathogens. It is also effective in blocking fungi and yeasts known to cause disease.

Silver is harmless to the body at bacterial effective levels. Humans take in about 70–88 µm of silver each day. Other heavy metals, such as mercury and lead, can bond chemically and accumulate in the body, which can inhibit metabolism. By contrast, research suggests that 99% of silver is readily excreted.3 Silver is, for the most part, nontoxic. Cases of extreme exposure have caused upper respiratory or mild eye irritation, and prolonged exposure can cause argyria. However, silver oxide is an effective antimicrobial at levels as little as 1 ppm, so toxicity concerns are mostly irrelevant.

According to Bruce Gibbins, founder of AcryMed Inc. (Portland, OR), silver doesn’t interfere with the therapeutic properties of medical products. Gibbins, who manufactures wound dressings using antimicrobial silver, also explains that silver can be safely used even for patients who have diseases like diabetes that interfere with wound healing.

During the early 20th century, before the advent of antibiotics, silver was rediscovered as an antimicrobial agent from ancient times. However, use of metallic silver had inherent problems. Metallic silver can stain tissues and interfere with wound assessment. It also has a short shelf life requiring frequent reapplications to provide continuous antimicrobial activity. Metallic silver is biologically inert and passes through the body. In order to exhibit antimicrobial effects, silver must be in an ionic state. Ionic silver is a single atom missing one orbital electron. The antimicrobial character requires water to activate. Today, the use of silver oxide rather than metallic silver has eliminated these problems. However, application issues continue to emerge, and manufacturers continue to look for better techniques.

This article examines the benefits and limits of several processes for silver antimicrobial technologies. It also provides an overview of ionic plasma deposition (IPD), a technique that uses nanotech engineering for silver application.

Conclusion

Many healthcare-acquired infections are the result of pathogens that are resistant to antibodies. The nature of silver and its antimicrobial effects make it an attractive material for medical device use. A number of options are available for applying silver antimicrobial technologies. Application processes continue to become more sophisticated, enabling optimal ion release and longer-lasting effects.

References
1. RP Wenzel and MB Edmond, "The Impact of Hospital-Acquired Bloodstream Infections," Emerging Infectious Diseases (Atlanta: Centers for Disease Control, March/April, 2001); available from Internet: www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/index.htm.
2. Larry M Bush, "Disposable Items Help Prevent Healthcare-Acquired Infections," Infection Control Today (Phoenix: Virgo Publishing, March 2005); available from Internet: www.infectioncontroltoday.com.
3. Robyn Mosher, "Silver: Metal of Many Faces," Dartmouth Toxic Metals Research Program (Hanover, NH: Center for Environmental Health Sciences at Dartmouth, 2001); available from Internet: www.dartmouth.edu/~toxmetal/TXSHag.shtml.
4. Kelly M Pyrek, "Emergency Medicine Poses Challenges to Infection Control," Infection Control Today (Phoenix: Virgo Publishing, September 2002); available from Internet: www.infectioncontroltoday.com.
5. RA Bologna et al., "Hydrogel/Silver Ion–Coated Urinary Catheter Reduces Nosocomial Urinary Tract Infection Rates in Intensive Care Unit Patients: A Multicenter Study," Urology 54, no. 6 (1999): 982–987.
6. ME Rupp et al., "Effect of Silver-Coated Urinary Catheters: Efficacy, Cost-Effectiveness, and Antimicrobial Resistance," American Journal of Infection Control 32, no. 8 (2004): 445–450.
7. Sophie Bobin-Dubreaux, "Testing Laboratory Prevention of Bacterial Adhesion to Medical Polymers," in NAMSA Authored Papers (BioMatech NAMSA; Chasse-sur-Rhone, France, September 1, 2001); available from Internet: www.namsa.com/advisor/articles.asp.
8. Katherine Simpson, "Using Silver to Fight Microbial Attack," Plastic Adhesives and Compounding (Oxford, UK: Elsevier Advanced Technology, November 17, 2003).
9. Erik Swain, "Coatings: The Next Generation," Medical Device & Diagnostic Industry 26, no. 7 (2004): 70–77.