Metallic Structures: Effective Agents to Fight Pathogenic Microorganisms

The current worldwide pandemic caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) had alerted the population to the risk that small microorganisms can create for humankind’s wellbeing and survival. All of us have been affected, directly or indirectly, by this situation, and scientists all over the world...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Diana Pereira, Tiago Soares Carreira, Nuno Alves, Ângela Sousa, Joana F. A. Valente
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-01-01
Series:International Journal of Molecular Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/3/1165
Description
Summary:The current worldwide pandemic caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) had alerted the population to the risk that small microorganisms can create for humankind’s wellbeing and survival. All of us have been affected, directly or indirectly, by this situation, and scientists all over the world have been trying to find solutions to fight this virus by killing it or by stop/decrease its spread rate. Numerous kinds of microorganisms have been occasionally created panic in world history, and several solutions have been proposed to stop their spread. Among the most studied antimicrobial solutions, are metals (of different kinds and applied in different formats). In this regard, this review aims to present a recent and comprehensive demonstration of the state-of-the-art in the use of metals, as well as their mechanisms, to fight different pathogens, such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi.
ISSN:1661-6596
1422-0067