Bacteria encapsulation and rapid antibiotic susceptibility test using a microfluidic microwell device integrating...

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Microfluidics
• Spectroscopy

Background:

• Conventional antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) is time-consuming and labor-intensive.
• Low bacterial concentrations in samples prolong culture time, delaying diagnosis and treatment.
• Delayed diagnosis of bacterial infections leads to increased patient mortality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a rapid and high-throughput AST method.
• To overcome limitations of conventional AST, such as prolonged culture time and complex sample preparation.
• To enable timely and accurate diagnosis of bacterial infections.

Main Methods:

• Development of a microfluidic microwell device integrated with surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technology (Microwell-SERS system).
• Encapsulation of bacteria in miniaturized microwells to increase effective concentration and reduce culture time.
• Integration of microchannels for buffer purification and individual SERS measurement.

Main Results:

• The Microwell-SERS system demonstrated a significantly shorter bacterial culture time.
• Achieved a 2-hour AST for susceptible and resistant E. coli and S. aureus at a concentration of 10^3 CFU/mL.
• Required a lower bacterial concentration compared to previous SERS-AST methods (10^3 CFU/mL vs. 10^8 CFU/mL).

Conclusions:

• The Microwell-SERS system enables rapid, sensitive, and label-free bacteria detection.
• This technology facilitates high-throughput AST for timely and accurate diagnosis of bacterial infections.
• The system holds potential for improving patient outcomes in critical care settings.