Point-of-Care Multiplex Detection of Respiratory Viruses

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Molecular Diagnostics
• Infectious Disease Research

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic and co-circulating respiratory viruses necessitate efficient multiplex diagnostic tools.
• Current methods like RT-qPCR are costly and require complex equipment, limiting accessibility.
• There is a critical need for rapid, scalable, and user-friendly diagnostic solutions for respiratory pathogens.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a point-of-care (POC) device for simultaneous detection of four key respiratory viruses (SARS-CoV-2, Influenza A, Influenza B, RSV).
• To create a rapid, cost-effective, and instrument-free diagnostic platform suitable for resource-limited settings.
• To validate the POC device's performance using clinical samples and assess its potential for detecting emerging pathogens.

Main Methods:

• Development of a reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) based POC system.
• Integration of a disposable microfluidic cartridge for automated sample processing without RNA extraction.
• Utilized a portable optical reader and smartphone app for real-time fluorescent image analysis.

Main Results:

• Simultaneous detection of SARS-CoV-2, Influenza A, Influenza B, and RSV within 30 minutes.
• Accurate identification of viral RNA and deconvolution of coinfection information from spiked nasal fluid samples.
• Demonstrated low detection limits for each target virus, comparable to existing methods.

Conclusions:

• The developed POC device provides a rapid, sensitive, and specific multiplex diagnostic solution for respiratory viruses.
• This technology is highly adaptable for detecting new pathogens by modifying primer sequences, offering a versatile diagnostic platform.
• The system's portability and low cost make it ideal for decentralized healthcare settings, home testing, and global health applications.