Rapid Detection of Staphylococcus aureus Using Paper-Derived Electrochemical Biosensors

Several groups have recently explored the idea of developing electrochemical paper-based wearable devices, specifically targeting metabolites in sweat. While these sensors have the potential to provide a breadth of analytical information, there are several key challenges to address before these sensors can be widely adopted for clinical interventions. Toward this goal, we describe the development of a paper-based electrochemical sensor for the detection of Staphylococcus aureus. Enabling the application, this report describes the use of paper-derived carbon electrodes, which were modified with a thin layer of sputtered gold (that minimizes lateral resistivity and significantly improves the electron transfer process) and with chitosan (used as a binder, to offer flexibility). The resulting material was laser-patterned and applied for the development of an electrochemical biosensor controlled (via a wireless connection) by a custom-built, portable potentiostat. As no interference was observed when exposed to other bacteria or common metabolites, this wearable system (paper-derived electrodes + potentiostat) has the potential to detect the presence of S. aureus in the skin, a commonly misdiagnosed and mistreated infection.