Pneumatic nano-sieve for CRISPR-based detection of drug-resistant bacteria

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Microfluidics
• Infectious Disease Diagnostics

Background:

• Antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections, like MRSA, are a major global health threat.
• Rapid and accurate MRSA detection is vital for effective treatment and infection control.
• Current diagnostic methods can be time-consuming and require specialized equipment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a miniaturized device for efficient MRSA purification from human plasma.
• To integrate MRSA purification with a rapid detection system for point-of-care diagnostics.
• To establish a sensitive and specific method for MRSA detection.

Main Methods:

• A miniaturized nano-sieve device with a pneumatically-regulated chamber was designed.
• Packed magnetic beads were used as a filter within the nano-sieve.
• The device was integrated with recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) and CRISPR-Cas detection.

Main Results:

• Achieved an on-chip MRSA concentration factor of approximately 15-fold.
• Demonstrated an on-chip limit of detection (LOD) of approximately 100 CFU mL⁻¹.
• The developed system is rapid, precise, and centrifuge-free.

Conclusions:

• The nano-sieve device enables efficient MRSA purification and concentration from plasma.
• The integrated system offers a sensitive and rapid diagnostic solution for MRSA.
• This technology has significant potential for point-of-care diagnostics, particularly in resource-limited settings.