Pathogenic microorganisms are considered to a major threat to human health, impinging on multiple sectors including hospitals, dentistry, food storage and packaging, and water contamination. Due to the increasing levels of antimicrobial resistance shown by pathogens, often caused by long-term abuse or overuse of traditional antimicrobial drugs, new approaches and solutions are necessary. In this area, antimicrobial polymers are a viable solution to combat a variety of pathogens in a number of contexts. Indeed, polymers with intrinsic antimicrobial activities have long been an intriguing research area, in part, due to their widespread natural abundance in materials such as chitin, chitosan, carrageen, pectin, and the fact that they can be tethered to surfaces without losing their antimicrobial activities. In addition, since the discovery of the strong antimicrobial activity of some synthetic polymers, much work has focused on revealing the most effective structural elements that give rise to optimal antimicrobial properties. This has often been synthesis targeted, with the generation of either new polymers or the modification of natural antimicrobial polymers with the addition of antimicrobial enhancing modalities such as quaternary ammonium or guanidinium groups. In this review, the growing number of polymers showing intrinsic antimicrobial properties from the past decade are highlighted in terms of synthesis; often based on post-synthesis modification and their utilization. This includes as surface coatings, for example on medical devices, such as intravascular catheters, orthopaedic implants and contact lenses, or directly as antibacterial agents (specifically as eye drops). Surface functionalisation with inherently antimicrobial polymers is highlighted and has been achieved via various techniques, including surface-bound initiators allowing RAFT or ATRP surface-based polymerization, or via physical immobilization such as by layer-by-layer techniques. This article also covers the mechanistic modes of action of intrinsic antimicrobial polymers against bacteria, viruses, or fungi.

中文翻译：

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具有内在抗菌活性的聚合物

病原微生物被认为是对人类健康的主要威胁，影响着多个部门，包括医院、牙科、食品储存和包装以及水污染。由于病原体表现出的抗菌素耐药性水平不断提高，通常是由长期滥用或过度使用传统抗菌药物引起的，因此需要新的方法和解决方案。在这一领域，抗菌聚合物是在多种情况下对抗多种病原体的可行解决方案。事实上，具有内在抗菌活性的聚合物长期以来一直是一个有趣的研究领域，部分原因在于它们在甲壳素、壳聚糖、角叉菜胶、果胶等材料中广泛存在的天然丰富性，以及它们可以束缚在表面而不会失去其抗菌性的事实活动。此外，自从发现一些合成聚合物的强抗菌活性以来，许多工作都集中在揭示产生最佳抗菌性能的最有效结构元素上。这通常是合成的目标，通过生成新的聚合物或通过添加抗菌增强方式（例如季铵或胍基团）来修饰天然抗菌聚合物。在这篇综述中，在合成方面强调了过去十年中越来越多的聚合物表现出内在的抗菌特性。通常基于合成后修饰及其利用。这包括作为表面涂层，例如在医疗器械上，如血管内导管、骨科植入物和隐形眼镜，或直接作为抗菌剂（特别是滴眼液）。具有固有抗菌聚合物的表面功能化得到强调并已实现通过各种技术，包括允许 RAFT 或 ATRP 表面聚合的表面结合引发剂，或通过物理固定，例如通过逐层技术。本文还介绍了内在抗菌聚合物对细菌、病毒或真菌的作用机制。