Restrictive Influence of Silver Nanoparticles on the Life Cycle of the Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus

Background: Foot-and-Mouth disease (FMD), a contagious, acute infectious disease of domestic and wild ruminants, can devastate livestock and create an economic calamity for their owners. The finding of antiviral compounds to combat FMD virus (FMDV) is thus of great importance. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have attracted great interests as a potentially useful tool for controlling various microorganisms. Objective: In this study, the interaction and mode action of AgNPs with respect to FMDV were investigated. Cytotoxicity of AgNPs on the baby hamster kidney 21 (BHK-21) cell line was determined by 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, and the anti-FMDV activity of the nanoparticles was evaluated by plaque assays at different times of infection. Results: AgNPs at non-toxic concentrations could inactivate the virus prior to entry into the cell or during penetration, but not after adsorption. Conclusion: The antiviral mechanism requires further research; however, these findings provide new insights into the potential anti-FMDV activity of AgNPs.