Biomaterials for bacterial recruitment function: A review

Infectious diseases present a formidable challenge in clinical treatment, with their incidence rates escalating annually. Current therapeutic approaches predominantly rely on antibiotics; however, the emergence of antibiotic resistance has substantially compromised treatment efficacy. While novel anti-infection strategies continue to emerge, most conventional antibacterial modalities remain passive in nature, exhibiting inherent limitations in antimicrobial performance. Bacterial recruitment materials have garnered significant attention due to their unique capability to actively attract pathogens, thereby enhancing antibacterial efficacy. This review systematically examines bacterial recruitment technologies, outlines biomaterials exhibiting bacterial recruitment properties, and discusses their biomedical applications, underlying mechanisms, and preparation methodologies. Furthermore, it addresses current challenges associated with bacterial recruiting biomaterials and proposes future research directions to advance this field. Notably, these materials are not only applicable to the prevention and control of healthcare-associated infections but also provide novel strategies for the treatment of community-acquired infections such as skin and soft tissue infections, acute otitis media and urinary tract infections. Additionally, they can achieve tissue repair (e.g., osseointegration, chronic wound healing) by recruiting beneficial bacteria, reflecting their broad functional potential beyond anti-infection toward tissue regeneration.