# Innovative Antibacterial Polymer Coatings
## 1 Introduction  
In recent decades, multidrug-resistant bacteria have emerged as a significant health issue, largely due to the misuse and overuse of antibiotics [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. Treating infections caused by these resistant bacteria often requires high therapeutic doses of antibiotics, which in turn contributes to the growing prevalence of drug resistance. Since the surrounding environment is a reservoir of such microorganisms, control over them is essential, presents a major challenge, and is a subject of serious research interest. This is of particular importance for hospitals where the presence of nosocomial infections caused by different pathogens is a serious problem and is one of the major causes of increased patient morbidity and death. The ability of various pathogens to adhere to different types of surfaces is a primary cause of bacterial contamination. Therefore, it is essential to develop strategies for creating antibacterial coatings that can help prevent the spread of healthcare-associated infections, a significant and persistent public health issue [6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12]. Nosocomial infections, also known as hospital-acquired infections, are primarily caused by bacterial colonization on various biomedical surfaces. In Western industrialized countries, the prevalence of these infections typically ranges from 4% to 10%, with rates reaching as high as 30% in intensive care units. These infections are considered the sixth leading cause of death [13, 14, 15, 16]. Fortunately, the operating room is a sterile environment, containing the highest number of potentially infectious objects, including instruments, surgical tables, monitoring and anesthesia equipment, and curtains. While ventilation systems are designed according to strict guidelines for operating rooms, they are also a primary cause of bacterial contamination in the surgical area [17]. The potential methods for reducing the frequency and level of contamination on various surfaces, particularly in healthcare settings, include routine disinfection withchemical bactericides (such as those based on ethanol or chlorine), as well as the use of so-called \"touchless\" disinfection methods like ultraviolet (UV) light [18; 19] or aerosols and/or vaporized hydrogen peroxide [20]. Unfortunately, routine disinfection for cleaning different surfaces in hospital rooms and medical equipment by healthcare personnel is often insufficient. Several studies have shown that less than 50% of surfaces in healthcare facilities are adequately cleaned and disinfected when using chemical bactericides [21]. While the \"touchless\" methods, such as UV light irradiation or aerosols, are more effective, they require the rooms to be vacated by patients and staff [22]. Another limitation is the high cost of processing and significantly longer time needed to achieve the desired disinfection. Therefore, the development of new antimicrobial agents and new treatment strategies is necessary [23; 24; 25]. In recent years, the development of \"self-disinfecting\" or \"self-hygienic\" surfaces has gained significant attention as a way to considerably reduce the frequency and level of surface contamination. These self-disinfecting surfaces can be created by impregnating or coating materials with heavy metal ions, such as silver or copper, germicides like triclosan, or through various methods, including light-activated antimicrobials. These methods are under active investigation and gain significant attention presently. The development of innovative and effective antibacterial coatings is one of the main current challenges, as the availability of biofilms on surfaces can be a serious societal problem with some economic consequences. This review presents the progress in the last years and the future perspectives in this area.