A Cell Phone-Based Microphotometric System for Rapid Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Microbiology
• Point-of-Care Diagnostics

Background:

• Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global health threat, particularly in resource-limited settings.
• Rapid and accurate antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) is crucial for effective infectious disease management.
• Existing AST methods are often costly, complex, and inaccessible in resource-limited environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a low-cost, portable diagnostic system for rapid phenotypic antimicrobial resistance determination.
• To enhance assay sensitivity using a colorimetric cell viability reagent and gas-permeable microwell arrays.
• To create a cell phone-based microphotometric system for simplified point-of-care AST.

Main Methods:

• Utilized microwell arrays with a colorimetric cell viability reagent for sensitive detection of pathogen growth.
• Incorporated gas-permeable microwell arrays to accelerate bacterial growth and reduce equipment needs.
• Developed a cell phone-based microphotometer for quantifying bacterial growth under various antibiotic conditions.

Main Results:

• The colorimetric assay demonstrated improved sensitivity compared to standard absorbance spectroscopy.
• The system successfully performed antimicrobial susceptibility testing for initial bacterial concentrations from 10^1 to 10^6 CFU/mL.
• Rapid antimicrobial resistance profiling was achieved for uropathogens in both culture media and urine samples.

Conclusions:

• The developed cell phone-based microphotometric system offers a simple, cost-effective solution for rapid AST.
• The system is highly applicable in resource-limited settings for managing infections caused by multidrug-resistant pathogens.
• This technology has the potential to significantly improve infectious disease diagnostics and treatment strategies globally.