Chapter 18 - Multifunctional theranostic nanomedicine for infectious diseases

Infectious diseases remain a significant global burden, with the rise of multidrug resistant pathogens and the limitations of conventional antibiotics posing a critical challenge. Multifunctional theranostic nanomedicine is an innovative approach to treat infectious diseases. It combines diagnosis and treatment into a single platform, offering targeted delivery, enhanced efficacy, real-time monitoring, and even personalized medicine. Nanocarriers can overcome the defenses of various pathogens, like bacteria with their walls and fungi with their biofilms, delivering drugs precisely to the target. For instance, in bacteria, nanocarriers can overcome formidable cell walls and efflux pumps. They can also be equipped with imaging agents like quantum dots to track their progress, enabling real-time monitoring of drug delivery, treatment response, and even pathogen localization. Importantly, their surface can be modified to evade immune clearance and equipped with targeting ligands for specific pathogens. Stimuli-responsive nanomedicine can control the spread and growth of pathogens by applying external or internal signals. Innovative synthesis and production methods can facilitate the development of various drug administration and delivery strategies on the molecular scale. Such developments lead to innovations in microfluidics, microneedle patches, bioimplants, multifunctional biopolymers, encapsulations, and stimuli-responsive multitargeting formulations. While challenges remain, like safety testing and overcoming biological barriers, the future of this technology is bright with advancements in materials, printing, and machine learning algorithms. This revolutionary approach has the potential to control and even eradicate infectious diseases, offering a beacon of hope for global health.

Ali Bakhshi, Mahya Bakhshi, Bahar Ahmadi, Abbas Rahdar Chapter 18 - Multifunctional theranostic nanomedicine for infectious diseases, 339-362 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-443-22044-9.00021-8

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