Advances in nanomaterials and their applications in point of care (POC) devices for the diagnosis of infectious diseases

Abstract

Nanotechnology has gained much attention over the last decades, as it offers unique opportunities for the advancement of the next generation of sensing tools. Point-of-care (POC) devices for the selective detection of biomolecules using engineered nanoparticles have become a main research thrust in the diagnostic field. This review presents an overview on how the POC-associated nanotechnology, currently applied for the identification of nucleic acids, proteins and antibodies, might be further exploited for the detection of infectious pathogens: although still premature, future integrations of nanoparticles with biological markers that target specific microorganisms will enable timely therapeutic intervention against life-threatening infectious diseases.

Application of nanodiagnostics in point-of-care tests for infectious diseases

“…67 The World Health Organization has given the "ASSURED" criteria to guide the development of POCT, which is affordable, sensitive, specific, user-friendly, rapid and robust, equipmentfree, and deliverable to end users. 68 Those devices that satisfy the ASSURED standard should be able to provide same-day diagnosis and promote the decision making immediately.…”

“…Different paper-based POCT platforms with visible readouts have been intensively studied for the diagnosis of infectious disease. 67 In combination with multicolored silver nanoplates, a novel paper-based POC diagnostic platform for multiplexed detection of infecting pathogens has recently been proposed. 78 Based on multiplexed lateral flow system, the paper-based POCT platforms showed a rapid testing speed and an ability to detect multiple infecting pathogens simultaneously by using only one individual strip.…”

“…Recently, cell phones, integrated with a transmission polarized light microscope platform, have shown big promise for the POCT diagnosis for infectious diseases. 15,67,81 A low-cost and optical cell phonebased transmission polarized light microscope platform has been developed to detect hemozoin for malaria, an infectious disease. 75 This parasite is very difficult to be observed and recognized from the background items or other parasites by using the conventional microscope techniques, even for highly trained skilled technicians.…”

Application of Electrochemical Methods in Biosensing Technologies

“…Thus, the electrochemical transducers seem to be the most beneficial. They are widely used in POC devices which are on-site diagnostic tests accessible to the physicians and patients, thanks to user-friendly handling and portability [29]. Another positive aspects are sensitivity, specificity with real-time analysis.…”

“…Another material, cadmium tellurite QDs conjugated to silica NPs enhanced the signal of Epstein-Barr virus detection. The square wave voltammetry measurements resulted in LOD of 1 pg/mL [29]. For more examples of pathogens nanodiagnostics, view [41], from all nanomaterials, the main interest arouses the gold.…”