Silver Nanoparticles as Novel Antibacterial and Antiviral Agents

Advanced and innovative technologies are continuously dedicated to the understanding of the mechanisms of diseases and to the design of new drugs, but infectious diseases continue to be one of the greatest health burdens worldwide. The main drawbacks for conventional antimicrobial agents are the development of multiple drug resistance and adverse side effects. Advances in nanotechnology have produced novel horizons in nanomedicine, enabling the synthesis of nanoparticles that could be assembled into complex architectures. Among these, silver nanoparticles are attracting great interest owing to their potent antibacterial and antiviral activity. This chapter summarizes emerging efforts to tackle the current challenges in treating infectious diseases, particularly using antimicrobial silver nanoparticles. Silver nanoparticles toxicity is also addressed to disclose the concerns against widespread application in the medical fi eld.