Nanomedicinal Approaches to Treat Fungal Livestock Diseases

Fungal diseases, such as candidiasis, dermatophytosis, mycotoxicosis, aspergillosis, zygomycosis, histoplasmosis, cryptococcosis, sporotrichosis, and lymphangitis, can affect various livestock animals, including cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, horses, and poultry. These diseases in farm animals can result in fatality, otherwise diminish their yields resulting in significant economic losses. Conventionally, antifungal drugs, such as azoles, polyenes, allylamines, and griseofulvin, along with topical antifungal agents, such as miconazole, clotrimazole, and chlorhexidine, are employed as therapeutic agents against fungal diseases in livestock. However, they possess limitations including poor drug solubility, limited drug penetration, drug resistance, and adverse side effects. Along with overcoming such confinements, nanotechnology-aided therapeutic approaches have emerged as one of the most promising fields in the management of fungal disease. Several metal NPs, such as silver nanoparticles, copper nanoparticles, zinc oxide nanoparticles, titanium oxide nanoparticles, and gold nanoparticles, have been employed as antifungal agents owing to their antimicrobial properties. Nanoparticles-based drug delivery systems or controlled drug release systems against fungal infections have been constructed incorporating organic nanoparticles, such as lipid nanoparticles, polymeric nanoparticles, protein-based nanoparticles, and carbon-based nanoparticles. Nanoemulsion is another formulation for delivering antifungal agents with enhanced stability, improved solubility, and increased efficacy. It is also exploited in combination therapy against fungal infections. Nanomaterials-coated textiles, infrastructures, animal housing, medical devices, etc., are also industrialized to prevent the spread of fungal infections within animals. Hence, diverse implementations of nanoformulations have revolutionized veterinary therapeutics for controlling fungal infections. However, there are still risks of nanotoxicity, and therefore further research and advancement is required for safe and effective applications of nanomaterial-based therapies in the veterinary field.