Every day the news seems to have a story about drug resistant infections or infections that require multiple medications in order to eradicate them. MRSA, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, is such an infection. This serious infection was in the past only acquired in hospitals, but now is showing up in the community at large. In recent years, there has been interest in using silver nanoparticles to treat MRSA.
MRSA
MRSA, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, is a type of bacteria resistant to the antibiotics usually used to treat staph infections. The two types of MRSA are health-care associated MRSA and community-associated MRSA. The first type, health-care associated MRSA, usually occurs in patients who have been in the hospital for a long time, in nursing homes or on dialysis. Community-associated MRSA is found in healthy people, and often begins as a painful skin boil. It is spread by skin-to-skin contact. You may be at risk if you participate in activities that bring you in close contact with others, such as high school wrestling; if you are a child-care worker; or if you live in crowded conditions.
Antibiotic Resistance
MRSA is the result of many years of unnecessary antibiotic use, according to MayoClinic.com. For years, people have been given antibiotics for colds, flus and other viral infections that are not susceptible to antibiotics. Because of this, bacteria grow stronger and mutate so that they eventually become resistant to antibiotic treatment.
Infections
MRSA can infect just about any part of the body. MRSA pneumonia is a particularly deadly infection that can often spread to the bloodstream. Bones with MRSA infection, or osteomyelitits, are very difficult to treat, as are joints with this type of infection. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that in 2010, life-threatening MRSA infections were declining, but reducing methicillin-resistant infections continues to be a high priority for the CDC.
Silver Nanoparticles
Silver is an ancient remedy used throughout history to treat infections. Now scientists have found a way to use radiation to split silver and form nanoparticles. Nanoparticles are microscopic particles with at least one dimension less than 100 nm. Silver nanoparticles, since they are so tiny, can be imbedded into different materials to create bacteriostatic agents, according to ScienceDaily.com. Preliminary data seems to support that silver nanoparticles may be highly active against MRSA infections. According to a 2006 research article from Brigham Young University, Silver-Water-Dispersion solution has been shown to be an effective antibiotic against many strains of MRSA. Furthermore, when used with specific antibiotics, Silver-Water-Dispersion solution was found to be synergistic in eradicating the bacteria. However, this research was done only in a microbiology laboratory and not with human subjects. Imbedding nanoparticles into materials as a bacteriostatic agent is entirely different than ingesting colloidal silver. This agent was marketed for years as a cure-all for AIDS, infections, the flu, parasites, fatigue and even hemorrhoids. Quack Watch has published a full report on the dangers of ingesting colloidal silver. Taking colloidal silver can lead to argyria, a condition where silver salts deposit in the skin, eyes and internal organs. You should not ingest colloidal silver. As technology advances, the application of silver nanoparticles will continue. Currently, coating medical devices with these particles seems to be an effective way to prevent infection. Coating surgical blades, needles and catheters with these particles has proven to be an effective way to prevent infection. Providing health care workers with face masks coated with silver nanoparticles to prevent the spread of airborne infections may prevent the spread of disease. Dressings for wounds have also been imbedded with silver nanoparticles for local treatment of ulcers and burns.
References
- Mayo Clinic: MRSA Infection. May 2010
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: MRSA Statistics. April 2011
- Science Daily: Antibacterial Silver Nanoparticles are a Blast. May 2010
- "Current Science" Bactericidal Activity of Combinations of Silver--Water DispersionTM with 19 Antibiotics Against Seven Microbial Strains. A. de Souza & et al. Oct. 2006
- Quack Watch; Colloidal Silver: Risk Without Benefit. S. Barrett. Aug. 2005
- Silver Nanoparticles: Silver Nanoparticles - Antibacterial Studies. 2010
