Nanoparticles have exceptional properties that make them outstanding candidates for improving diagnostics and the treatment of infectious disease. Their small size, distinctive intrinsic properties, and ability to be decorated with a variety of complex functionalities make them uniquely capable of detection and targeting of certain diseases. Nanotechnology has the ability to increase the sensitivity of detection methods, the potency and ease of treatment, and the effectiveness of vaccinations. However, major challenges remain to their application in low-resource settings due in large part to the sensitivity of these particles to their local environment, a property that makes them both exceptional for detection and prone to complications or failure during synthesis and utilization. These challenges are likely to be solved only by continued and enhanced communication across scientific disciplines, for example, medical doctors and diagnosticians providing information about what is needed in new technologies. This information will enable materials scientists and engineers to rapidly address the corresponding technical challenges, such as the scalable and reproducible generation of nontoxic and stable, yet responsible nanoparticles.

中文翻译：

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具有巨大影响的微小事物：抗击传染病的纳米技术

纳米粒子具有卓越的特性，使其成为改进传染病诊断和治疗的杰出候选者。它们体积小、独特的内在特性以及装饰有各种复杂功能的能力使它们具有独特的检测和靶向某些疾病的能力。纳米技术能够提高检测方法的灵敏度、治疗的效力和易用性以及疫苗接种的有效性。然而，它们在资源匮乏环境中的应用仍然面临主要挑战，这在很大程度上是由于这些粒子对其局部环境的敏感性，这一特性使它们既非常适合检测，又在合成和利用过程中容易出现并发症或失败。这些挑战可能只有通过持续和加强跨科学学科的交流才能解决，例如，医生和诊断学家提供有关新技术所需信息的信息。这些信息将使材料科学家和工程师能够快速应对相应的技术挑战，例如可扩展和可重复生成无毒、稳定但可靠的纳米粒子。