Chapter 13. Recent Advances in Antimicrobial Hydrogels

Abstract

Antibiotic resistance in pathogens is a global healthcare challenge. Localized application of antimicrobial materials is a good choice to overcome antimicrobial resistance. A hydrogel matrix is one of the prominent choices for the localized application of antimicrobials. Hydrogels are fabricated from either natural or synthetic polymers. They contain a three-dimensional network with crosslinked hydrophilic polymer chains and retain a large amount of water. Hydrogels have been applied for various biomedical purposes such as drug delivery, tissue engineering, wound care, and implant coating. In this chapter, we discuss recent advancements in antimicrobial hydrogels. Various antimicrobial hydrogel categories possessing inherent antimicrobial activities and hydrogels loaded with antimicrobial materials such as metal nanoparticles, antibiotics, peptides and other molecules are discussed.