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After years of suppression, scientists finally admit copper destroys norovirus (and so does silver)

research-copper-destroys-norovirus-mrsa-colloidal-silver

The highly infectious norovirus, or stomach flu bug, causes a very common illness, affecting hundreds of millions of people who come into contact with it through contaminated food, water, surfaces or other people every year. Now, scientists have discovered that copper and its more than 300 different alloys don't just fight norovirus – copper destroys it.

Simulating contamination via touch, researchers found that norovirus could not survive on any dry surface containing more than 60% copper. The findings do not apply solely to norovirus either but to a range of various fungi and bacteria. Armed with this knowledge, lead study author Sarah Warnes noted that copper-rich antimicrobial surfacing in high-traffic public areas, especially care facilities, could reduce norovirus exposure and significantly cut down how many people get sick.

This research reaffirms a previous study out of the University of Nebraska that was the first to demonstrate that when microbes were exposed to dry, copper-infused surfaces, hundreds of millions of bacterial cells died within minutes.

Copper's antimicrobial properties have been known for thousands of years, dating back to an ancient Egyptian text that discussed using the mineral as a sterilization agent for wounds and drinking water. The Father of Modern Medicine, Hippocrates, even mentioned copper as a treatment for leg ulcers circa 400 B.C. Further ancient copper cures span the gamut of treatments, including for infected ears, purging the stomach of intestinal parasites and lung diseases.

Likewise, silver has been used for centuries to fight germs as well. Silver was used in the creation of cups, plates and eating utensils (that's why they call it 'silverware') to keep pathogens at bay. In more recent times, American pioneers would place silver or copper coins in their drinking water casks to keep it germ-free.

Conventional medicine has not respected ancient health traditions.

Although various forms of colloidal silver solutions have been used for hundreds of years as a natural antibiotic, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ran a scaremongering campaign against it, claiming it would turn people silver. No, really. In reality, the amount of silver in these solutions is in the hundred parts per million range, way below the amount it would take to actually turn anyone's skin silver. With humans ingesting silver for thousands of years, if it were really so dangerous, we'd see a lot more silver people walking around by now.

We have witnessed an overuse of antibiotic pharmaceutical drugs in modern times that has led to the rise of antibiotic-resistant superbugs such as MRSA – or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus – an infectious, flesh-eating bacteria found primarily in hospitals (where, consequently, it has been shown to spread the fastest and can do the most damage to people who are the most vulnerable).

While mainstream medical science has thus far been clueless as to how to curb this growing epidemic, the norovirus researchers found that dry copper surfaces also kill MRSA within minutes of contact. Interestingly, most hospitals use stainless steel surfaces. These researchers were able to demonstrate in a side-by-side microscopic comparison how copper beats out stainless steel in wiping out MRSA (see video here). Stainless steel had little to no effect on the superbug.

Perhaps most important, unlike antibiotics, microbes do not build up a resistance to copper or silver.

Currently, data shows that one in every 20 hospital patients contracts an infection while hospitalized; this results in 1.7 million sick people and approximately 100,000 U.S. deaths each year at a cost of $10 billion annually. With the staggering amount of research showing copper and silver's potential to reduce the adverse health effects from out-of-control bacteria, specifically in a hospital setting, it's astonishing that these solutions are being ignored or even suppressed.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.sciencedaily.com
http://www.purestcolloids.com
http://www.naturalnews.com
http://www.antimicrobialtouchsurface.com
http://www.sciencedaily.com
http://www.reuters.com

Republished from NaturalNews
Written by Rebecca Winters

Featured image: copper cookware, sonoma, california 2013 by http://www.flickr.com/photos/98710702@N08/10279341684

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6 Comments

  1. I sometimes use a combination of silver and copper ions to keep my pool water clear in the winter. Although it's doesn't seem to be as effective in the warmth of the Summer, I love swimming in the pool when it's treated with ions. It's like swimming in bottled water, no chlorine smell or bleaching effects.

  2. Both, copper and silver have been a part of the human environment to varying degrees over the millenia. One can rest assured, that emergence of any new technology regarding medications to combat or cure diseases, is subject to the level of commerce activity it has potential to generate. This has a counter-benefit in that natural cures and remedies hold a strong advantage!

  3. Be careful how much you use; too much copper can cause adverse health effects, including vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, and nausea. It has also been associated with liver damage and kidney disease. Too much silver will make you look like that poor guy who's skin turned blue from ingesting too much of it… moderation, etc. And make sure you get guidance on how and how much to use…

  4. Operator Interface Technology is an EPA registered manufacture of antimicrobial copper keyboards and keypads. Standard keyboards in a healthcare environment are very difficult to clean effectively and can be a major source of cross-contamination. Getting the word out is the hardest part so thank you for your article!
    Bob Nolan

  5. So in other words, the old methods that have for so long been put down by big pharmaceutical companies actually work. Wow, what next, will they soon be taking an interest in homeopathy?

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