How to Improve Infectious Diseases with Nanotechnology

The advent and advancement of nanotechnology in medicine can create a more straightforward treatment regimen with lower dose frequency and much less maintenance.

Fremont, CA: Nanomedicine employs nanoscale technology for medical applications, which may include the use of particles ranging in size from 1 to 100 nm. In recent years, the novel use of nanotechnology in medicine has become an exciting development, with innovative Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved concepts that can revolutionize disease detection and treatment.

Infections are a significant burden throughout the world, with high mortality rates associated with conditions such as lower respiratory infections, tuberculosis, diarrhea, malaria, HIV, and others. These infectious diseases have a greater impact in the developing world, where mortality rates associated with these conditions are the highest because of a scarcity of vaccines and anti-infectives.

Observations from temporal trends in mortality show that, while overall mortality rates are decreasing, there is still a large disparity in death rates between high and low socio-demographic index (SDI) countries. Furthermore, clinical trials for contagious diseases are lower than trials for other disorders such as cardiovascular disease and even cancer, demonstrating the need for advanced infectious disease treatment through nanotechnology.

Nanotechnology in Medicine

The advent and advancement of nanotechnology in medicine can create a more straightforward treatment regimen with lower dose frequency and much less maintenance.

The use of injectable nanocarriers capable of transporting, delivering, or releasing drugs over long periods of time would be revolutionary for the challenges that low SDI countries face. Nanocarriers, which control drug release by utilizing an inactive vehicle such as a lipid or polymer, or a slow breakdown of a drug-using poorly soluble mediums such as nano-drug crystals, are examples of drug delivery systems.

Low SID Challenges

Low socio-demographic index countries frequently face a slew of challenges. This includes patients who do not adhere to therapies, the need for ongoing patient monitoring, and other factors such as the inability to pay for drugs or maintaining drug stability in high or humid temperatures.

These factors can make it difficult for low-income countries to effectively treat patients with infections, ranging from hospitals being unable to adequately support their patients to patients being unable to access drugs.

Long-term care for conditions such as HIV, tuberculosis, or malaria can significantly burden patients and healthcare systems. HIV would necessitate lifelong treatment, whereas tuberculosis would necessitate a combination of oral medications administered over several months to years. Prolonged treatment plans can lead to a lack of patient adherence, reducing treatment efficacy and resulting in failure because of a lack of optimal drug levels.