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Updated: May 24, 2026

Synthesis, Characterization, and Application of Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoprobes for Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis Detection
Published on: February 16, 2020
Immunosensor towards low-cost, rapid diagnosis of tuberculosis
Jong-Hoon Kim1, Woon-Hong Yeo, Zhiquan Shu
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington, Box 352600, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA.
Abstract:
A rapid, accurate tuberculosis diagnostic tool that is compatible with the needs of tuberculosis-endemic settings is a long-sought goal. An immunofluorescence microtip sensor is described that detects Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex cells in sputum in 25 minutes. Concentration mechanisms based on flow circulation and electric field are combined at different scales to concentrate target bacteria in 1 mL samples onto the surfaces of microscale tips. Specificity is conferred by genus-specific antibodies on the microtip surface. Immunofluorescence is then used to detect the captured cells on the microtip. The detection limit in sputum is 200 CFU mL(-1) with a success rate of 96%, which is comparable to PCR.
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