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Updated: Nov 13, 2025
Microfluidic Chip Fabrication and Method to Detect Influenza
Published on: March 26, 2013
Multiplex and on-site PCR detection of swine diseases based on the microfluidic chip system
Yan Jiang1, Shan Jiang2, Yue Wu3
1Animal, Plant and Food Inspection Center, Nanjing Customs, Nanjing, 210019, China. 544235973@qq.com.
Background:
At present, the process of inspection and quarantine starts with sampling at the customs port, continues with transporting the samples to the central laboratory for inspection experiments, and ends with the inspected results being fed back to the port. This process had the risks of degradation of biological samples and generation of pathogenic microorganisms and did not meet the rapid on-site detection demand because it took a rather long time. Therefore, it is urgently needed to develop a rapid and high-throughput detection assay of pathogenic microorganisms at the customs port. The aim of this study was to develop a microfluidic chip to rapidly detect swine pathogenic microorganisms with high-throughput and higher accuracy. Moreover, this chip will decrease the risk of spreading infection during transportation.
Results:
A series of experiments were performed to establish a microfluidic chip. The resulting data showed that the positive nucleic acid of four swine viruses were detected by using a portable and rapid microfluidic PCR system, which could achieve a on-site real-time quantitative PCR detection. Furthermore, the detection results of eight clinical samples were obtained within an hour. The lowest concentration that amplified of this microfluidic PCR detection system was as low as 1 copies/μL. The results showed that the high specificity of this chip system in disease detection played an important role in customs inspection and quarantine during customs clearance.
Conclusion:
The microfluidic PCR detection system established in this study could meet the requirement for rapid detection of samples at the customs port. This chip could avoid the risky process of transporting the samples from the sampling site to the testing lab, and drastically reduce the inspection cycle. Moreover, it would enable parallel inspections on one chip, which greatly raised the efficiency of inspection.
Insights
This study developed a microfluidic chip for rapid, high-throughput detection of swine pathogenic microorganisms at customs ports. The system provides accurate on-site results within an hour, reducing sample degradation and infection risks.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary diagnostics
- Microfluidics
- Molecular biology
Background:
- Current inspection processes involve lengthy sample transport, risking degradation and pathogen spread.
- There is a critical need for rapid, high-throughput detection of swine pathogens at customs ports.
- Existing methods do not meet the demand for swift, on-site analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a microfluidic chip for rapid, high-throughput, and accurate detection of swine pathogenic microorganisms.
- To decrease the risk of infection spread during sample transportation.
- To enable on-site, real-time quantitative PCR detection.
Main Methods:
- Development and validation of a microfluidic chip integrated with a portable PCR system.
- Utilizing real-time quantitative PCR for pathogen detection.
- Testing with known swine viruses and clinical samples.
Main Results:
- The microfluidic chip successfully detected nucleic acids of four swine viruses with high specificity.
- On-site, real-time quantitative PCR detection was achieved.
- Results for eight clinical samples were obtained in under one hour, with a limit of detection as low as 1 copy/μL.
Conclusions:
- The developed microfluidic PCR system meets the requirements for rapid customs port sample detection.
- The chip mitigates risks associated with sample transport and significantly shortens inspection cycles.
- Parallel inspections on a single chip enhance overall inspection efficiency.
