Question: Is Colloidal silver a cure/treatment/vaccine for Ebola?.
Short Answer: "no".
Long Answer: Colloidal, or nano-particulate, silver is being researched as part of a broader spectrum of investigation into the use of nano or microscopic particulate substances in many fields of interest, from the Military (e.g. weaponised nano-tech, etc.), Information Technology (e.g. nano-processors, etc.), to Medical (e.g. vaccines, treatments, etc.). With respect to colloidal, or nano-particulate, silver, some research into it's use as a possible/potential treatment for HIV/AIDS[cf. fn.] and other blood-born infections is ongoing, but as of writing there is simply not enough data available to say with any confidence that colloidal silver is a viable option in a curative sense (i.e. a viable vaccine protocol).
What this means is that current (at time of writing at least) ideas regarding Colloidal Silver being a 'cure', or a 'treatment' at least, for Ebola misrepresents current understanding of the available data - that is not to say nano-particulate silver may never be a treatment for Ebola, rather it's far too early to suggest this with any veracity. For example, a number of sources are actively misrepresenting data presented in a power-point presentation (allegedly) from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency/Air Force Research Laboratory; [sic] "Novel Nanotechnology-Based Antiviral Agents: Silver nanoparticulates neutralization of hemorrhagic fever viruses" ("Novel Nanotechnology-based Antiviral Agents: Silver nano-particulates neutralization of haemorrhagic fever viruses"). The research*, undertaken by Saber M. Hussain, Ph.d[1] & Janice Speshock, Ph.d[2], shows tentative explorative results on the interaction of colloidal (nano-particulate) silver on various pathogens, Ebola (EBV-Z, Ebola Zaire) being one. It was found that at certain ppms Ebola's ability to replicate or further 'infect' in-vitro samples was disabled/deactivated - note that Ebola was not killed.
Whilst there is potential in Colloidal or nano-particulate silver as a possible treatment** for Ebola and other infectious diseases then, proof-positive of this from the point of view of a vaccine or other one-shot kill treatment, is a long way off and requires extensive funding and research. It's simply too early to tell in other words.
Footnotes:
* awareness of silver as an antiviral agent against Ebola appears to emanate from the release of the above mentioned unclassified power-point presentation in 2009. Made available through a third-party (with potential conflicts of interest), the actual originating source of the document, i.e. the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, is unconfirmed at time of writing.
** it's vitally important to stress that ingestion of colloidal silver, whilst potentially beneficial for a number of other ailments, is unlikely to, if ever, be a direct treatment for Ebola; the mechanisms of immune system deployment differ a great deal, in essence Ebola, being blood-borne, is already in the body system and requires more direct action than might otherwise be had using indirect approaches.
Further Reading
[1] Saber M. Hussain Ph.d
• Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology profile
• Google Scholar profile
• Biomolecular Interactions of Nanoparticles
[2] Janice Speshock Ph.d
• Tarleton State University profile
Primary research by either/or/both Messers Hussain and Speshock in relation to the use of nano-particulates
• A Preliminary Assessment of Silver Nanoparticle Inhibition of Monkeypox Virus Plaque Formation
• Silver and Gold Nanoparticles Alter Cathepsin Activity In vitro
• Interaction of silver nanoparticles with Tacaribe virus
• Biological Interactions of Nanomaterials
Additional example of research on the use of nano-particulates
• Use of Silver Nanoparticles in HIV • Treatment Protocols: A Research Proposal
• Interaction of silver nanoparticles with HIV-1
• Potential Vaccines and Post-Exposure Treatments for Filovirus Infections
• Viral Therapy and Prophylaxis Using Nanotechnology Delivery Techniques
• Nanotechnology: A possible healer in drug delivery system
• Novel applications of nanotechnology in medicine
• Can biowarfare agents be defeated with light?
• Chimeric human parainfluenza virus bearing the Ebola virus glycoprotein as the sole surface protein is immunogenic and highly protective against Ebola virus challenge
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