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Nanoparticles and Nanomaterials to Counteract Healthcare-Associated Infections
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Nanoparticles and Nanomaterials to Counteract Healthcare-Associated Infections

A special issue of Journal of Functional Biomaterials (ISSN 2079-4983). This special issue belongs to the section "Biomaterials and Devices for Healthcare Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 5646

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Antonio Laganà

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy
Interests: epidemiology of infectious diseases; vaccinations; public health; environmental health; climate change and infectious diseases
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Alessio Facciolà

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy
Interests: antimicrobial resistance; epidemiology; healthcare-associated infections; microbiology; preventive medicine; public health
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Giuseppa Visalli

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy
Interests: biocompatibility; human health; nanoparticles; public health; toxicity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are a major source of morbidity and mortality globally, affecting both high-income and emerging countries, and exerting a significant impact in terms of economic expenditure. These infections are often sustained by microorganisms that are resistant to antimicrobials, whether of bacterial (ESKAPE), viral, or fungal origin, and are therefore not easily eradicable. For this reason, an effective approach to HAI containment must act on several fronts, starting with classical prevention activities such as hand hygiene, a hygienic hospital environment, screening and the classification of patients into cohorts, public health surveillance, antibiotic stewardship, and compliance with good practices and safety guidelines. In addition to these classical practices, the idea of using innovative strategies, such as those involving the potential use of nanoparticles (NPs) and nanomaterials in healthcare, has gained momentum in recent years. From this perspective, various NPs (inorganic, carbon-based, and organic) and nanomaterials, due to their intrinsic anti-microbial and anti-biofilm properties and physicochemical characteristics, could be used as coatings for hospital surfaces, as well as for the production or coating of medical devices (urinary catheters, venous catheters, implantable prostheses). They could also be used to deliver molecules with antimicrobial activity, in order to produce synergistic effects.

Accordingly, this Special Issue, entitled “Nanoparticles and Nanomaterials to Counteract Healthcare-Associated Infections”, aims to collect valid and rigorous scientific papers that summarise innovative approaches to this critical public health challenge.

Dr. Antonio Laganà
Dr. Alessio Facciolà
Dr. Giuseppa Visalli
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Functional Biomaterials is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • healthcare-associated infections
  • nanoparticles
  • nanomaterials
  • antimicrobial and anti-biofilm properties
  • prevention
  • innovative strategies

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

24 pages, 5493 KB  
Article
Polyherbal-Mediated Synthesis of Copper Nanoparticles Using Hygrophila auriculata and Leucas aspera: Cytotoxicity, Antioxidant Effect, and Antibacterial Potential Against Healthcare-Associated Pathogens
by Gayathri Vijayakumar, Amrutha Raja, Swathi Ganesan, Teja Sri Senthil, Jainitha Kandasamy, Prathiksha Senthil Kumaran and Senthil Kumaran Rangarajulu
J. Funct. Biomater. 2026, 17(4), 169; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfb17040169 - 1 Apr 2026
Viewed by 509
Abstract
An eco-friendly green synthesis approach was employed to produce copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) using a polyherbal extract derived from two medicinally important plant species, Hygrophila auriculata (Schumach.) Heine and Leucas aspera (Willd.) Link. The plant extracts were initially subjected to phytochemical screening to identify [...] Read more.
An eco-friendly green synthesis approach was employed to produce copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) using a polyherbal extract derived from two medicinally important plant species, Hygrophila auriculata (Schumach.) Heine and Leucas aspera (Willd.) Link. The plant extracts were initially subjected to phytochemical screening to identify bioactive constituents potentially involved in nanoparticle synthesis. The synthesized CuNPs were characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS), field-emission scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (FESEM-EDAX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thin-layer chromatography (TLC). UV-visible spectroscopy revealed a characteristic absorption peak at 233.6 nm. FTIR analysis indicated the presence of functional groups associated with nanoparticle reduction and stabilization, whereas FESEM imaging showed predominantly spherical particles with sizes ranging 63–68 nm. Elemental composition was confirmed using EDAX analysis. XRD analysis demonstrated polycrystalline nature of the CuNPs, with an average crystallite size of 11.5 nm. GC-MS analysis and phytochemical screening further confirmed the presence of bioactive compounds, whereas TLC analysis revealed differences in mobility between the plant extract and synthesized CuNPs. Antibacterial activity of the synthesized CuNPs was evaluated using the agar well diffusion method against clinically relevant bacterial strains, including those of Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Streptococcus pyogenes. The polyherbal-derived CuNPs produced larger inhibition zones than the individual plant extracts, particularly against multidrug-resistant pathogens such as P. aeruginosa and S. aureus. Additionally, the nanoparticles exhibited concentration-dependent antioxidant activity in the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay at concentrations ranging 10–50 mg/mL, with radical scavenging activity increasing from 29.9% to 76.5% and a corresponding decrease in absorbance from 0.698 to 0.234 (p < 0.05). Cytotoxic evaluation in HepG2 cells after 48 h of exposure demonstrated dose-dependent morphological changes and reduced cell viability. These findings suggest that polyherbal-derived CuNPs possess antibacterial, antioxidant, and cytotoxic properties with potential relevance for biomedical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanoparticles and Nanomaterials to Counteract Healthcare-Associated Infections)
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24 pages, 4792 KB  
Article
Modification of Physico-Chemical and Biological Characteristics of Polymethylmethacrylate with Amorphous Carbon Nanoparticles for Counteracting Healthcare-Associated Infections
by Sergey V. Gudkov, Dmitriy A. Serov, Ruslan M. Sarimov, Vasiliy S. Novikov, Maksim Moskovskiy, Maksim B. Rebezov, Mikhail V. Dubinin, Konstantin V. Sergienko, Mikhail A. Sevostyanov, Fatikh M. Yanbaev, Maxim E. Astashev and Maria V. Vedunova
J. Funct. Biomater. 2026, 17(1), 5; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfb17010005 - 21 Dec 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 955
Abstract
Composite materials based on polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and carbon nanoparticles are used in aviation, construction, medical and other fields of activity. Carbon nanotubes and carbon nano-dots are mainly used as carbon nanoparticles. Both carbon nanotube and carbon nano-dots are difficult to obtain materials with [...] Read more.
Composite materials based on polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and carbon nanoparticles are used in aviation, construction, medical and other fields of activity. Carbon nanotubes and carbon nano-dots are mainly used as carbon nanoparticles. Both carbon nanotube and carbon nano-dots are difficult to obtain materials with considerable cost. Amorphous carbon nanoparticles, on the contrary, are easy to obtain and have a low cost. The purpose of this work is to study the physico-chemical and biological characteristics of polymethylmethacrylate modified with amorphous carbon nanoparticles. Laser ablation was used to obtain the nanoparticles. Dynamic light scattering, measurement of the electrokinetic potential, TEM, AFM, and Raman microscopy are used to characterize nanoparticles. FTIR, MIM, AFM, UV-visual diagnostics, ROS tests, and biopolymer regeneration tests were used to analyze the combined sensors. The bacteriostatic effect was evaluated using turbodimetry, and the antibacterial effect was evaluated using precision cytofluorometry. Mammalian cells were examined using fluorescence microscopy. Carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) have been obtained and characterized. A protocol has been developed for the introduction of CNPs into photolithographic resin. Printed samples of complex geometry. It is shown that the printed samples are amenable to polishing, have pro-oxidant properties, and are able to prevent damage to biopolymers. Printed samples inhibit the development of bacteria and cause loss of viability. At the same time, the printed samples do not affect the development of mammalian cells. The obtained resins based on PMMA with CNPs can potentially serve as the basis for the creation of non-toxic materials in biomedicine and pharmacology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanoparticles and Nanomaterials to Counteract Healthcare-Associated Infections)
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22 pages, 8601 KB  
Article
Synthesis of Ag2O/Ag Nanoparticles Using Puerarin: Characterization, Cytotoxicity, In Ovo Safety Profile, Antioxidant, and Antimicrobial Potential Against Nosocomial Pathogens
by Sergio Liga, Raluca Vodă, Lavinia Lupa, Elena-Alina Moacă, Delia Muntean, Lucian Barbu-Tudoran, Maria Suciu, Vlad Socoliuc and Francisc Péter
J. Funct. Biomater. 2025, 16(7), 258; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfb16070258 - 11 Jul 2025
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2864
Abstract
(1) Background: Our study investigates the green synthesis of Ag2O/Ag nanoparticles using the isoflavone Puerarin as a bioreductor. (2) Methods: The PUE@Ag2O/Ag nanoparticles were characterized using various techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), electronic [...] Read more.
(1) Background: Our study investigates the green synthesis of Ag2O/Ag nanoparticles using the isoflavone Puerarin as a bioreductor. (2) Methods: The PUE@Ag2O/Ag nanoparticles were characterized using various techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), electronic microscopy (TEM, SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Biological activities were assessed through antimicrobial testing, cytotoxicity assays on human keratinocytes and melanoma cells, and an in ovo screening using the HET-CAM assay. (3) Results: The formation of crystalline Ag2O/Ag nanoparticles with sizes below 100 nm was accomplished with Puerarin. Despite their high cytotoxicity at all tested concentrations, the nanoparticles showed antioxidant activity with IC50 981.5 ± 94.2 μg/mL, antibacterial activity against several clinically relevant nosocomial strains (Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa), and no local irritant effects or inhibition of angiogenesis in the HET-CAM assay. (4) Conclusions: This study provides insights into the synthesis, characterization, and biological profile of PUE@Ag2O/Ag nanoparticles for potential biomedical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanoparticles and Nanomaterials to Counteract Healthcare-Associated Infections)
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