The constant advent of major health threats such as antibacterial resistance or highly communicable viruses, together with a declining antimicrobial discovery, urgently requires the exploration of innovative therapeutic approaches. Nowadays, strategies based on metal nanoparticle technology have demonstrated interesting outcomes due to their intrinsic features. In this scenario, there is an emerging and growing interest in copper-based nanoparticles (CuNPs). Indeed, in their pure metallic form, as oxides, or in combination with sulfur, CuNPs have peculiar behaviors that result in effective antimicrobial activity associated with the stimulation of essential body functions. Here, we present a critical review on the state of the art regarding the in vitro and in vivo evaluations of the antimicrobial activity of CuNPs together with absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) assessments. Considering the potentiality of CuNPs in antimicrobial treatments, within this Review we encounter the need to summarize the behaviors of CuNPs and provide the expected perspectives on their contributions to infectious and communicable disease management.

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Peak bone mass is an important determinant of future bone mass and of the risk of osteoporosis and subsequent fractures. Although some information concerning bone mineral density (BMD) in adults affected with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is available, few data on children and adolescents have been reported. Many variables, such as duration and activity of the disease, reduced sun exposure, and steroid therapy have been suggested as risk factors in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis in SLE. In this study, we longitudinally evaluated, by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), the BMD of 20 young patients affected with juvenile SLE (JSLE), in order to establish the degree of osteoporosis and the influence of steroid treatment, among other clinical variables. At baseline, the mean BMD in JSLE patients was 0.978 g/cm2 and in controls 1.038 g/cm2 (P = 0.31). At 1 year (time 2), this value became 0.947 g/cm2 in JSLE children; the mean individual difference was 0.28 g/cm2 (3.4%). Only in those patients aged 19-25 years BMD was significantly lower than in controls, both at baseline and at time 2. Considering the steroid treatment, no significant difference between the two groups was found either at baseline or at time 2; however, the mean yearly BMD loss in the steroid patients was 0.031 g/cm2 (3.5%) vs. 0.005 g/cm2 (0.5%) in those who had not taken steroids. A significantly inverse correlation between BMD and the cumulative dosage of corticosteroids has been detected. BMD produced a significantly inverse correlation to the cumulative dosage of corticosteroids; no significant correlation has been found between BMD and disease activity or duration.