A forthcoming study shows that nano silver particles are capable of killing microfilariae, a tropical roundworm parasite that causes filariasis. Scientists hope that it will lead to an improved treatment or prevention of the disease (which can cause elephantiasis).
Of course, before treatment is approved for western travellers, future studies of nano silver’s effect on the parasite will have to examine the mechanism by which it causes the roundworms to die. Microfilariae has its own beneficial bacteria, and other studies looking for improved treatment have focus on using high doses of powerful antibiotics to kill those bacteria, and, in turn, kill the roundworms.
Since that would also kill all the beneficial bacteria in the patient, if the nano silver has a mechanism to kill the roundworms (or even more efficiently kill the bacteria), it would be a huge leap forward in preventing, and treating the disease.
And if nano silver has antimicrobial properties that can be demonstrated against parasitic pathogens, that would also have large implications in the US, where roundworms are still very common (though not as serious, in most cases).
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