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II Antibacterial Effects of Silver Nitrate as Used for Credé Prophylaxis and of a Colloidal Silver Compound ‐ Hexarginum
Author(s) -
KALLINGS I. MOBERG,
WAHLBERG V.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
acta pædiatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.1982.tb09581.x
Subject(s) - silver nitrate , medicine , nitrate , microbiology and biotechnology , silver nanoparticle , silver salts , staphylococcus aureus , streptococcus agalactiae , streptococcus , bacteria , chemistry , biology , nuclear chemistry , inorganic chemistry , ecology , nanotechnology , genetics , materials science , nanoparticle
Silver nitrate as prophylaxis against gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum (GON) is still compulsory in many countries, although disputed. In Sweden it is proposed that the use of silver nitrate be discontinued as there is now effective treatment available and because of the present epidemiological situation and good neonatal care. In some communities, however, the socioeconomic situation is such as to justify a continued use of prophylaxis against GON. Therefore it was decided to try Hexarginum (AgNo 3 +CH 3 NH 2 ), a colloidal silver compound as an alternative, which is less irritating than silver nitrate. The antibacterial effect in vitro of silver nitrate and Hexarginum on Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, Diplococcus pneumoniae and Haeomophilus infruenzae was compared. Both compounds were found to be very active in killing gonococci. The effectiveness against other species was varying, H. intluenzae being more rapidly killed than the Gram‐positive cocci. Hexarginum was consistently less active than silver nitrate by 1–4 dilution steps. It was also tested whether silver nitrate and Hexarginum inhibited the adhesion of gonococci to epithelial cells. Some inhibition was found by silver nitrate although the difference was not significant. The effect by which silver nitrate acts as a prophylactic agent against GON is probably more complex than merely depending on the antibacterial effect; any other compound must be evaluated carefully before it can be recommended as an alternative prophylactic agent against GON.