Metal and Metal Oxide Nanoparticles as Agents Against Human Infectious Viruses

Viral infections remain to be a serious threat to public health on a global scale. Recent outbreaks of viral infections have highlighted the urgent need for novel antiviral treatments. The recent development of metal/metal oxide nanoparticles for the treatment of various pathogenic viruses has received significant attention. There are established mechanisms of action for metal/ metal oxide nanoparticles that can occur inside and outside host cells. These mechanisms include the interaction of nanoparticles with viral receptors, interference with viral attachment, interaction with the viral genome, inactivating virus particles prior to cellular entry, and interaction with viral replication factors. In this article, we attempted to present a comprehensive review of all published research on using metal/metal oxide nanoparticles against human infectious viruses and their antiviral modes of action.