This is the first I have read about "silver resistant" bacteria.
Well, over the millennia, bacteria have adapted to many challenges, so I
guess it would not be surprising if they adapted to silver eventually.
However, it is not clear that this is immanent.
For instance, there is this laboratory study from the Mesosilver site
showing that silver is effective against E. coli:
http://www.silver-colloids.com/misc/Meso_vs_Sovereign-E-coli.pdf
Our personal experience also indicates otherwise, having "cured" an acute
case of E. coli in a two year old with colloidal silver and d-Mannose.
I did a little additional research, and discovered that (so far at least),
the silver resistance gene is very rare and, even when present, does not
make the bacteria immune to silver.
Most of the tests have to do with the effectiveness of silver for wound
care, as this is the most widely used mainstream application.
One study I read concluded:
"If bacteria can become resistant to methicillin, can they also become
resistant to silver? Several silver-resistant bacteria have been found, and
the silver-resistance genes have been identified and sequenced, said Steven
Percival, Ph.D., ConvaTec Wound Therapeutics, Flintshire, UK. He took 110
samples of bacteria from diabetic foot ulcers and screened them to find 12
samples with the silver-resistance genes. They inoculated the bacteria in
agar plates, with silver bandages, and the silver killed the bacteria even
though they had silver-resistance genes. The bacteria with silver-resistance
genes were Enterobacter cloacae, an intestinal bacterium which is usually
not a pathogen in wounds. The bacteria which are pathogens in wounds,
Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, didn't have silver
resistance genes."
Like Mike said, it is something to keep an eye on, but would appear not to
be much of a problem at this time.
Del
----- Original Message -----
From: "M. G. Devour" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, July 20, 2008 10:36 PM
Subject: Re: CS>Silver resistant bacteria
I agree it is quite interesting, Michael.
The only silver resistant bacteria we've heard about before were found
in mineral deposits where silver was in high concentration in the
growth medium. Resistance was quickly lost by future generations of the
"bugs" when removed from the silver rich environment. At least a few
common types of bacteria were found to behave this way if I remember
the stories right.
If at least a few bacteria pathogenic in humans turn out to have this
ability as well, *and* it can be turned on by the kind of exposure to
silver that occurs with routine CS use, then this can become a problem.
I suspect (and hope!) we're not on the verge of wholesale silver
resistance of run-of-the-mill bacteria in everyday life. Not if
ongoing, mult-generational exposure is needed to turn on that defense
mechanism, and removal from the silver-rich environment breaks the
cycle. In a word, I won't panic yet.
Worth watching, definitely. Thanks for the heads-up, Trem.
Be well,
Mike D.
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