Nanoparticle formulations for therapeutic delivery, pathogen imaging and theranostic applications in bacterial infections

Abstract

Pathogenic bacterial infections represent an ever-growing crisis, now significantly threatening life expectancy across the worldwide population and thus novel approaches to tackle this issue are urgently needed. The application of nanotechnology in recent years has opened up new horizons in the selective or specific delivery of drugs or imaging agents to infectious sites. In particular, the development of nanoparticles for both delivery of active substances and imaging of infection sites is now gathering much interest. Although still in its infancy, the field of antibacterial nanomedicines provides exciting new possibilities to combat multi-resistant bacterial infections and shows great promise for personalized medicine in antibacterial stewardship. This review examines nanoparticle-based formulations used for therapeutic delivery, pathogen tracking in diagnosis, and combined “theranostic” approaches to more effectively treating bacterial infections.

Nanoparticles as Surrogates of Antibiotics: A Comprehensive Review

“…Addressing these key challenges and considerations is essential for advancing the development and application of nanoparticle-based antimicrobial agents and realizing their potential as surrogates of antibiotics. By addressing safety concerns, optimizing nanoparticle properties, navigating regulatory pathways, and ensuring market accessibility, nanoparticle-based antimicrobial agents can offer innovative solutions to combat antimicrobial resistance and improve patient outcomes in infectious diseases (Jiang et al 2023).…”

Stimuli‐Actuated Turn‐On Theranostic Nanoplatforms for Imaging‐Guided Antibacterial Treatment

“…First, many exogenous bacteria and their accessories can be directly used as markers for bacterial infection detection. [ 2 ] Meanwhile, bacteria can cause oxygen deficiency and release metabolic products, enzymes, and toxins to the infected tissue during the massive proliferation process. For example, under hypoxic conditions, the bacteria undergo anaerobic metabolism to generate acidic metabolites (e.g., acetic acid and pyruvic acid), further creating an acidic infection environment.…”

“…[ 1 ] According to the latest statistics, more than 50% of the world's annual deaths are caused by bacterial infections. [ 2 ] The successful development of antibiotics can effectively treat bacterial infectious diseases. However, the evolution of drug‐resistant bacteria has led to decreased efficacy due to the extensive and indiscriminate employment of antibiotics.…”

Nano-based theranostic approaches for infection control: current status and perspectives

“…13 Collectively, nanomaterials as specific, traceable and highly efficient multipurpose platforms for microbial eradication may shed new light on constructing innovative theranostic nanomedicines to combat hard-to-treat infections and the current AMR crisis. 14…”

“…13 Collectively, nanomaterials as specific, traceable and highly efficient multipurpose platforms for microbial eradication may shed new light on constructing innovative theranostic nanomedicines to combat hard-to-treat infections and the current AMR crisis. 14 This review aims to share an updated overview of the current strategies for controlling infection and detecting microbes, especially bacteria and fungi. We present a comprehensive summary of theranostic nanoplatforms developed from different nanomaterials published within the last seven years, and elaborate on the underlying principles behind the design/ synthesis rationales of each nanomedicine (Scheme 1).…”