A research team from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with Anhui No. 2 Provincial People' s Hospital, has developed a microfluidic chip that integrates molecular and immunological diagnostic techniques for the rapid on-site detection of pathogenic bacteria.
Their findings were recently published in Analytical Chemistry.
Nosocomial infections remain a major challenge for healthcare systems, posing significant risks to patient safety and increasing medical burdens. Rapid identification of key pathogens, timely control of infection sources, and effective evaluation of prevention strategies are therefore essential tasks for hospital infection control.
In this study, the team designed an integrated "isothermal amplification–immunochromatography" platform. By combining loop-mediated isothermal amplification with dual-mode immunochromatographic detection using both colorimetric and fluorescence signals, the system significantly enhances detection sensitivity and reliability. Notably, the entire testing process can be completed within 30 minutes.
The chip adopts a fully enclosed design, effectively minimizing the risk of amplicon leakage and cross-contamination. In addition, it requires only a single operational step after sample loading, making it highly suitable for point-of-care applications. The cost per test is kept below 2 USD, further improving its practicality.
The system demonstrated detection sensitivities ranging from 82 to 140 CFU/mL for representative pathogens, including Staphylococcus aureus, Legionella pneumophila, and Klebsiella pneumoniae.
This work highlights the potential of the platform as a rapid, affordable, and user-friendly solution for on-site pathogen screening, with important implications for infection control and patient safety in healthcare settings.
Integrated "Isothermal Amplification–Immunochromatography" Detection Platform (Image by DAI Liping)
