Nano-targeted drug delivery approaches for biofilm-associated infections

The ageing world population, the rise in immunocompromised individuals, prolonged hospitalizations, the overuse of antibiotics, and others led to an increase in the incidence of diseases associated with chronic biofilm infections (e.g., periodontitis and periodontal disease, chronic skin diseases, chronic upper and lower respiratory tract diseases, urinary tract infections, nosocomial infections secondary to indwelling medical devices). While biofilm-associated infections are more resistant to conventional therapy, nanotechnology-based approaches have recently achieved visible advances in their management by an improved targeted delivery of medicines. In this chapter, we aimed to review the main diseases associated with biofilm chronic infections as well as their nano-targeted therapeutic approach. Nanomedicine may establish novel standards in the therapy of pathogenic biofilms in everyday clinical practice. More research is needed to clarify the complex interactions between nano-therapeutics, microbial biofilms, and the host, to better understand their efficacy, toxicity, and long-term effects.