Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
Infectious diseases remain one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, exacerbated by emerging pathogens, antimicrobial resistance, and limitations of conventional diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Micro- and nanomachines—artificially engineered micro- and nanoscale devices capable of controlled motion, sensing, and actuation—have emerged as transformative tools in infectious disease management. These systems offer unprecedented opportunities for rapid pathogen detection, targeted drug delivery, biofilm disruption, and minimally invasive therapy. This review summarizes recent advances in micro- and nanomachine technologies applied to infectious disease diagnostics and therapeutics, highlighting design principles, propulsion mechanisms, functionalization strategies, and representative biomedical applications. Current challenges related to biocompatibility, scalability, regulatory approval, and clinical translation are critically discussed. Last, perspectives for the future are discussed, emphasizing the integration of micromachines with artificial intelligence, lab-on-a-chip platforms, and precision medicine to combat infectious diseases more effectively.
Coghi et al. (Fri,) studied this question.