Nanobiosensor-based diagnostic tools in viral infections: Special emphasis on Covid-19

The rapid propagation of novel human coronavirus 2019 and its emergence as a pandemic raising morbidity calls for taking more appropriate measures for rapid improvement of present diagnostic techniques which are time-consuming, labour-intensive and non-portable. In this scenario, biosensors can be considered as a means to outmatch customary techniques and deliver point-of-care diagnostics for many diseases in a much better way owing to their speed, cost-effectiveness, accuracy, sensitivity and selectivity. Besides this, these biosensors have been aptly used to detect a wide spectrum of viruses thus facilitating timely delivery of correct therapy. The present review is an attempt to analyse such different kinds of biosensors that have been implemented for virus detection. Recently, the field of nanotechnology has given a great push to diagnostic techniques by the development of smart and miniaturised nanobiosensors which have enhanced the diagnostic procedure and taken it to a new level. The portability, hardiness and affordability of nanobiosensor make them an apt diagnostic agent for different kinds of viruses including SARS-CoV-2. The role of such novel nanobiosensors in the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 has also been addressed comprehensively in the present review. Along with this, the challenges and future position of developing such ultrasensitive nanobiosensors which should be taken into consideration before declaring these nano-weapons as the ideal futuristic gold standard of diagnosis has also been accounted for here.