Bioengineered Nanomaterials: Recent Trends and Bottlenecks in the Management of Infectious Diseases

Abstract

The pathogens that induce infectious diseases that account for the majority of hospitalizations and fatalities worldwide are viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites. Appropriately managing infectious diseases confronts several challenges in light of tremendous advances. By encouraging a drug’s localization at the site of infection, reducing side effects, and/or attenuating the emergence of resistance, the use of nanomedicine is developing as a novel technique for boosting the anti-infective effects of licensed medications. Nanomaterials are widely used in medicines, prophylactic vaccinations, and diagnostic systems to develop promising strategies against infectious diseases. As a consequence, there is a great deal of interest in their possible applications in vaccines and therapeutic systems against a variety of pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, multidrug-resistant strains, and biofilms. This chapter introduces recent advances in the development of bioengineered and biomimetic nanomaterials derived from bacteria, viruses, and mammalian cells. Recent advances in bioengineered nanomaterials for the treatment of infectious disorders are discussed first. Next, a review and summary of applications of bioengineered and biomimetic nanomaterials in anti-infective therapy are provided. Additionally, the ability of “nanovaccines” to treat or prevent infectious diseases is also emphasized. The field’s future prospects and substantial translational obstacles are explored.