Colloidal Silver Testing Results Summary

Microbiology Department
Brigham Young University
775 WIDB
P.O. Box 25253
Provo, Utah 84602-5253

May 13, 1999

..Antibacterial Product Testing Results Summary

The following results suggest that .. Silver solution is a broad spectrum antimicrobial agent–it is able to effectively stop the growth of, and in fact kill, a variety of bacteria.

.. Silver Supplement has been tested against the following organisms.

Staphylococcus aureus (Pneumonia, eye infections, skin infections (boils, impetigo, cellulitis, and post-operative wound infections), toxic shock syndrome, meningitis, food poisoning, osteomyelitis, and many others) inhibited @ 2.5 ppm and killed @ 5 ppm. 1/22/99 BYU Report.

Shigella boydii (Bacillary dysentery–characterized by severe cramping abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea) inhibited @ 1.25 ppm and killed @ 2.5 ppm. 1/22/99 BYU Report.

Salmonella arizona (Food poisoning, etc.) inhibited @ 2.5 ppm and killed @ 5 ppm. 1/28/99 BYU Report.

Salmonella typhimurium (Food poisoning and enteric fever) inhibited and killed at a concentration of 2.5 ppm. 6/7/99 BYU Report.

E. coli (Food poisoning, urinary tract infections, traveler’s diarrhea, diarrhea in infants, respiratory tract infections, and wound infections) inhibited and killed @ 2.5 ppm. 1/22/99 BYU Report.

Haemophilus influenzae (Otitis media (ear infection), pneumonia, meningitis, throat and sinus infections (including epiglottitis in children and sinusitis), and suppurative arthritis in children) inhibited and killed @ 1.25 ppm. 1/22/99 BYU Report.

Enterobacter aerogenes ( wound infections, urinary tract infections, bacteremia, and meningitis) inhibited and killed at a concentration of 2.5 ppm. 6/7/99 BYU Report.

Enterobacter cloacae ( causes ilnesses similar to the E. aerogenes) inhibited and killed at a concentration of 5 ppm. 6/7/99 BYU Report.

Klebsiella pneumoniae (lower respiratory tract infections, nosocomial infections (infections spread in hospitals), urinary tract and wound infections, and bacteremia) inhibited and killed @ 2.5 ppm. 1/28/99 BYU Report.

Klebsiella oxytoca, (Similar to those infections caused by K. pneumoniae) inhibited and killed at a concentration of 2.5 ppm. 6/7/99 BYU Report.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (severe burn and wound infections, keratitis, pneumonia, meningitis, nosocomial infections, urinary tract infections, etc.) inhibited @ 2.5 ppm and killed @ 5 ppm. 1/22/99 BYU Report.

Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumonia, meningitis, sinusitis, otitis media (ear infection) inhibited @ 2.5 ppm and killed @ 5 ppm. 4/21/99 BYU Report.

Streptococcus pyogenes (skin infections, upper respiratory infections (i.e. strep throat) impetigo, hospital-acquired infections, scarlet fever, etc.) inhibited and killed @ 1.25 ppm. 1/22/99 BYU Report.

Streptococcus faecalis (Urinary tract infections, endocarditis, wound infections, etc.) inhibited @ 2.5 ppm and killed @ 5 ppm. 1/22/99 BYU Report.

Streptococcus mutans (A major cause dental plaque and tooth decay etc.) inhibited and killed @ 5 ppm. 2/3/99 BYU Report.

Streptococcus gordonii (Tooth decay, also implicated in infective endocarditis-an infection of the heart valves) inhibited and killed @ 5 ppm. BYU Report 2/12/99.

David A. Revelli

Microbiologist

Brigham Young University


Dr. Ron W. Leavitt, Ph.D.

Professor of Microbiology/Molecular Biology

Brigham Young University

Lois Collins also quoted Ron Leavitt as stating, "When one of my research assistants suggested that we check this out, I was real skeptical of something that sounded a lot like snake oil. I said we'd do it if they would pay for the supplies. But whatever the data is, it is. We agreed there would be no restriction on publication of the data."

Although Dr. Leavitt stated that there would be no restriction on the publication of data, apparently Brigham Young University disagrees. In a letter dated July 23, 2002, the assistant to general counsel for BYU, stated:

"Any studies that occured at BYU were not intended for dissemenation to the general public."

In what can almost be construed as a blanket attack against first ammendment rights, BYU has been sending intimidating cease and desist orders out to individuals and organizations referencing the study. These letters not only pursue the reasonable demand that copyrights be respected, but further demand that BYU not be mentioned in conjunction with the study at all, despite the fact this information now exists in the public domain.

Further, attached to these letters is an official BYU position statement, where the antimicrobial effects of colloidal silver are compared to bleach. While it is clear ( in fact, self evident ) that studies done in-vitro cannot be applied to a clinical situation, comparing colloidal silver to bleach can only be regarded as a very distasteful disinformation tactic. While the sarcasm of the comment is not lost in the statement, the undiluted truth is. As the quote by Dr. Ron Leavitt above indicates, colloidal silver has a low level of toxicity ( see our pages on silver toxicity for details ).

Website's position is that we are not in violation of copyright laws in this matter. Furthermore, we believe that the general public has a right to know the facts associated with the controversy, insofar as doing so does not infringe upon the rights of the parties in question, as a part of our journalistic expression.

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The late Dr. Carl Moyer, chairman of Washington University's Department of Surgery, received a grant to develop better treatment for burn victims. Dr. Harry Margraf of St. Louis, as the chief biochemist, worked with
Dr. Moyer and other surgeons to find an antiseptic strong enough, yet safe for use over large areas of the body. Dr. Margraf reviewed 22 antiseptic compounds and found drawbacks in them all. He noted that many of these
antibiotics were ineffective against a number of harmful bacteria, including the biggest killer, Pseudomonas Acruginose. Extensive trials proved silver the most effective, it is currently used in major burn centres in the
United States. “What we actually have done, was rediscover that silver kills bacteria”, stated Dr. Robert O. Becker M. D.

Silver’s comeback in medicine began in the 1970’s. Now it is used by the
Soviets to sterilize recycled water in space stations. NASA selected a silver water system for the space shuttle. Many of the world’s airlines use silver water filters to protect passengers from diseases such as dysentery.
Silver has been effectively used to replace chlorine in swimming pool water, it is safe, effective, natural, and does not sting the eyes.

On-going Users of Colloidal Silver
The use of some silver preparations in mainstream medicine survived. Among them are the use of dilute silver nitrate in newborn babies' eyes to protect from infection and the use of "Silvadine," a silver based salve, in virtually every burn ward in America to kill infection. A new silver based bandage has recently been approved by the FDA and licensed for sale. Other uses that did not lose favor include:

Silver water purification filters and tablets are manufactured in Switzerland and used by many national and international airlines to prevent growth of algae and bacteria.

Electrical ionization units that impregnate the water with silver and copper ions are used to sanitize pool water without the harsh effects of chlorine.

The former Soviet Union used silver to sterilize recycled water on their space vehicles.

The Swiss use silver filters in homes and offices.

Some U.S. municipalities use silver in treatment of sewage.

In the Japanese work place, silver is a popular agent in the fight against airborne toxins as well other industrial poisons.

Silver-infused bandages and wound dressings are now commercially available.

Silver has been found to prevent the infection resulting from burns.

The return of silver to conventional medicine began in the 1970s. The late Dr. Carl Moyer, chairman of Washington University's Department of Surgery, received a grant to develop better methods of treatment for burn victims. Dr. Margraf, as the chief biochemist, worked with Dr. Moyer and other surgeons to find an antiseptic strong enough, yet safe to use over large areas of the body. Dr. Margraf investigated 22 antiseptic compounds and found drawbacks in all of them.

Reviewing earlier medical literature, Dr. Margraf found continual references to the use of silver. However, since concentrated silver nitrate is both corrosive and painful, he diluted the silver to a .5 percent solution and found that it killed invasive burn bacteria and permitted wounds to heal. Importantly, resistant strains did not appear. But, silver nitrate was far from ideal. So research continued for more suitable silver preparations.

Silver sulphadiazine (Silvadene, Marion Laboratories) is now used in 70 percent of burn centers in America. Discovered by Dr. Charles Fox of Columbia University, sulphadiazine has also been successful in treating cholera, malaria and syphilis. It also stops the herpes virus, which is responsible for cold sores, shingles and worse.

Results show Colloidal Silver to be highly germicidal, yet harmless and non-toxic to humans. More importantly, research shows excellent results with an astonishing array of bacterial, viral and fungal conditions.

Colloidal Silver: Expert Opinions
Because of the research showing colloidal silver's superior performance in fighting microbes, it has attracted the attention of leading scientists and medical researchers throughout the world. Its benefits are now stirring new interest as 50 prominent doctors are currently researching the efficacy and applications of colloidal silver in human health. As a result, many interesting studies have emerged.

According to experts, no microorganism ever tested has been able to stay alive for more than six minutes when exposed directly to colloidal silver.

Science Digest cites colloidal silver as "...a wonder of modern medicine," and further states "Antibiotics kill perhaps a half dozen different disease organisms, but silver kills hundreds. Resistant strains fail to develop. Moreover, silver is virtually non-toxic. Colloidal silver, used as an anti-microbial agent, will not create super bugs as antibiotics do."

Alfred Searle, founder of the giant Searle Pharmaceuticals (now Monsanto) stated, "Applying colloidal silver to human subjects has been done in a large number of cases with astonishingly successful results. For internal administration ... it has the advantage being rapidly fatal to pathogens without toxic action on its host. It is quite stable." Further information indicates that Colloidal Silver does not cause harmful interactions with other medications or topical treatments.

In laboratory tests with colloidal silver, bacteria, viruses, and fungal organisms are killed within minutes of contact. Larry C. Ford, M.D. of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, UCLA School of Medicine, Centre For The Health Sciences reported in November 1, 1988, " I tested them (the silver solutions) using standard anti-microbial tests for disinfectants. The silver solutions were anti-bacterial for concentrations of 105 organisms per ml of Streptococcus Pyogenes, Staphylococcus Aureus, Neisseria Gonorrhea, Gardnerella Vaginalis, Salmonella Typhi and other enteric pathogens, and fungicidal for Candida Albicans, Candida Globata and M. Furfur."

Because of the many organisms that have developed strains resistant to modern antibiotics, Dr. Robert Becker's finding is of particular importance. Becker, of Syracuse University stated, "All of the organisms that we tested were sensitive to the electrically generated silver ions, including some that were resistant to all known antibiotics...In no case were any undesirable side effects of the silver treatment apparent.”