Synergistic photothermal antibacterial therapy enabled by multifunctional nanomaterials: progress and perspectives

Abstract

In recent years, infection caused by drug-resistant bacteria has become a serious public health problem. The exploration of antibacterial therapies other than antibiotics has attracted more and more attention. Photothermal therapy (PTT) has become a promising antibacterial method due to its low invasiveness, low toxicity and avoidance of drug-resistant bacteria. However, when PTT is used alone, it requires a higher temperature to achieve a better antibacterial effect, which will not only kill bacteria, but also cause damage to normal tissues, and even trigger new inflammation. Many reports have confirmed that a combination of other antibacterial methods with PTT could effectively reduce the side effects on normal cells and enhance the therapeutic effect. In view of the rapid development of synergistic PTT in antibacterial therapy, this review mainly discusses and summarizes the advancements of several synergistic photothermal antibacterial methods within the last five years. In addition, the synergistic mechanism of antibacterial methods is also clarified. The remaining challenges and future opportunities in this field are also highlighted. We believe that this review will provide improved understanding of synergistic photothermal antibacterial therapy enabled by multifunctional nanomaterials and push nanoscience and nanotechnology one step at a time toward clinical applications.