Silver's preservative, medical, germicidal, antiseptic, and antibacterial properties were already known in ancient times. Nowadays, the ability of silver ions to affect the function of membrane-bound enzymes, such as those in the respiratory chain, through binding to thiol groups of the L-cysteine residue of proteins has been postulated as the main mechanism involved in its bactericidal action [1] Other bactericidal mechanisms of action of silver ions, such as the release of potassium, its capacity to bond to DNA, and the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation have also been reported [2]. Despite its wide use as bactericidal (i.e., a large number of healthcare products now contain silver, as dressings, as coatings on medical and surgical equipment, as gels, etc.) the bacterial resistance to silver has also been documented [3] and as early as in 1975 [4].
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