Point of care testing for infectious diseases

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases and Public Health
• Biomedical Diagnostics
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Infectious diseases pose significant public health and economic threats, necessitating rapid diagnostic solutions.
• Point-of-care (POC) testing offers timely, actionable results near the patient, crucial for disease management.
• Current diagnostic methods often lack the speed and accessibility required for effective outbreak control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the clinical requirements for POC diagnostic tests for major infectious pathogens.
• To compare various molecular approaches utilized in POC testing.
• To highlight recent advancements in novel POC technologies.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of clinical needs for POC diagnostics.
• Comparative analysis of molecular detection methods (nucleic acid, protein, microRNA, antibodies).
• Review of emerging POC technologies, including microfluidics and plasmonics.

Main Results:

• Identified key clinical needs for POC tests across diverse pathogens like malaria, HIV, HPV, dengue, Ebola, Zika, and TB.
• Evaluated the suitability of different molecular targets and detection strategies for POC applications.
• Showcased innovations in microfluidic and plasmonic platforms enhancing POC test performance.

Conclusions:

• POC testing is vital for controlling infectious disease spread and improving patient outcomes.
• Diverse molecular approaches can be adapted for effective POC diagnostics.
• Emerging technologies promise more sensitive, rapid, and accessible infectious disease detection.