Nanosensor-based therapeutic interventions to diagnose and cure bacterial infections

Abstract

Rapid rinsing of antibiotic resistance and slower supply of modified or new drugs against bacterial pathogens is posing threat on human population. Quick detection to start timely, accurate, and effective treatment is warranted. Emergence of nanotechnology-based diagnostic and therapeutic strategies is giving positive hopes to the scientists and clinicians in never ending fight against bacterial infections. Due to ultrasmall in size and high surface area to volume ratio, nanomaterials are very effective to deal with microscopic-sized organisms. Different nanomaterials with various modifications are being tested and used for accurate, cheaper, quick diagnosis, and targeted treatments of bacterial infections with minimum dose of antibiotics. Nonspecific nature of nanoparticles makes them suitable agents for the delivery of therapeutic molecules at the site of infections without any chance of rising resistance against them. Most of the nanomaterials not only have solved the issues regarding infection management but also have shown very less toxicity to the host system. This chapter gives a brief idea about the concepts and fundamental information about nanomaterials with their physicochemical properties and mechanisms of action in diagnosis and therapy in the case of bacterial infections with examples.