3× multiplexed detection of antibiotic resistant plasmids with single molecule sensitivity

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Molecular Biology
• Clinical Diagnostics

Background:

• Antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens pose a significant global health threat.
• Carbapenem resistance in bacteria is particularly lethal due to limited treatment options.
• Current diagnostic methods for antibiotic resistance are often slow and error-prone.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a rapid, amplification-free, and multiplexed diagnostic system for detecting antibiotic resistance genes.
• To demonstrate a chip-based optofluidic platform for single-molecule sensitivity detection.
• To enable timely identification of carbapenem-resistant pathogens.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a chip-based optofluidic system with rotating disks and microfluidic chips for plasmid extraction from blood.
• Employed functionalized polymer monoliths for selective plasmid isolation.
• Implemented waveguide-based spatial multiplexing for parallel detection of carbapenem resistance genes.

Main Results:

• Achieved amplification-free, multiplexed detection of antibiotic resistance genes within one hour.
• Demonstrated single-molecule sensitivity in the optofluidic system.
• Successfully detected three different carbapenem resistance genes in spiked blood samples.

Conclusions:

• The developed optofluidic system offers a rapid and accurate solution for detecting antibiotic resistance.
• This technology has the potential to significantly improve the diagnosis of antibiotic-resistant infections.
• Paves the way for faster clinical decision-making in managing bacterial infections.