People who come into contact with patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) are at high risk of contracting its pathogen (SARS-CoV-2). Viral transmission in hospitals is a particular area of concern because close interactions between health care workers and patients contribute to the spread of the virus between them, their families, and subsequently the community.
Despite the implementation of various public health interventions, such as adaptation of negative air pressure areas, isolation of areas for COVID-19 patients, and mandatory use of personal protective equipment (PPE), the control of SARS-CoV-2 transmission has had mixed results. In the absence of effective antiviral therapy, ongoing vaccination campaigns are the primary strategy for global prevention of SARS-CoV-2.
In a recent study conducted by a group of researchers in Mexico, Russia and Spain, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were found to suppress SARS-CoV-2 in health care workers. they proposed a non-pharmaceutical public health intervention, including mouth rinsing and gargling with a nanosilver solution, to reduce the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 in health care workers exposed to the virus.
Researchers demonstrated clinical evidence that health workers who use AgNPs for mouth rinses and nasal rinses can prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection. The study, published online, tested ARGOVIT AgNPs, a mouthwash containing nano-silver ions, and evaluated the preventive effect on SARS-CoV-2 infection among health workers. This product contains metallic silver, polyvinylpyrrolidone, hydrolyzed collagen and distilled water. The hydrolyzed collagen stabilized the nanosilver and reduced cytotoxicity. Notably, the study also showed that participants experienced no harmful side effects in their bodies.
The researchers also recommended the application for the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection in high-risk areas such as dental surgery. Because the oropharynx and nasopharynx are the initial entry sites for SARS-CoV-2 and it replicates to produce a viral load of 1.2 × 108 infectious copies per milliliter, it is a high risk for dentists.
"The evidence presented in this study suggests that the use of mouthwash and nasal rinses, in addition to the use of personal protective equipment by healthcare workers, can significantly reduce viral load in these areas to reduce transmission," the researchers said. It can be inferred that the use of AgNPs as mouthwash and nasal rinse would be very useful for the prevention of SARS-CoV-2, not only for healthcare workers, but also as an additional protection for the general population.
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