The growing role of nanotechnology in combating infectious disease

Abstract

The treatment and prevention of infectious diseases is a major part of both clinical and investigative medicine. As the use of conventional antibiotics rises, antimicrobial resistance patterns develop, necessitating the continuous need for newer and more effective therapies. Nanotechnology, defined as the production and application of materials in the nanoscale range (1-100 nm), has been the focus of several investigations as a result of unique physical and chemical properties of nanomaterials. Specifically, nanomaterials provide added benefits due to their small size, allowing for an increased ability to surpass most physiologic barriers and reach their intended targets, and high surface-area-to-volume ratio, allowing for increased potential to interact with pathogen membranes and cell walls. This review focuses of the potential therapeutic and preventative applications of nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems in infectious disease. © 2011 Landes Bioscience.