Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 8, 2026
07:57
An In Vitro Bladder Model of Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection
Published on: June 24, 2025
Nanoparticle-based approaches to tackling urinary tract biofilms
Sofía V Sánchez1,2,3,4,5, Pamela Pérez-Basáez1,4, Javier O Morales1,2,3,4
1Departamento de Ciencia Y tecnología Farmacéutica, Universidad de Chile, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Laboratorio Drug Delivery, Santiago, Chile.
Nanomedicine (London, England)
|May 7, 2026
Summary
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a major health issue, often worsened by biofilms. Nanoparticles offer new ways to fight these infections and improve treatments.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Nanotechnology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs) pose significant global health and economic challenges.
- Recurrence, indwelling devices, and multidrug-resistant bacteria exacerbate UTI burden.
- Biofilm formation is a key factor in UTI treatment failure due to antimicrobial resistance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the pathophysiology of urinary tract biofilms.
- To evaluate nanoparticle-based strategies for combating UTIs and biofilms.
- To discuss mechanisms, applications, and safety of nanotechnologies in UTI treatment.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive literature search of PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Scopus.
- Prioritization of studies using urine-relevant models for biofilm analysis.
- Review of various nanoparticle systems: metallic, polymeric, lipid-based, hybrid, and stimuli-responsive.
Main Results:
- Nanotechnology facilitates multifunctional systems to combat bacterial adhesion and biofilms.
- Nanoparticles can disrupt existing biofilms and potentiate antibiotic efficacy.
- Antimicrobial nanocoatings for medical devices represent a promising, advanced application.
Conclusions:
- Nanotechnology presents a paradigm shift towards advanced, multifunctional UTI therapies.
- Clinical translation requires addressing long-term safety, biodistribution, and regulatory aspects.
- Further research into urine-relevant models is crucial for developing effective nanostrategies.
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