Signal Amplification to Improve Electrochemical Biosensing for Infectious Diseases.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Analytical Chemistry
• Infectious Disease Diagnostics

Background:

• Infectious disease detection and monitoring are crucial for public health.
• Electrochemical biosensors are vital tools for rapid and sensitive disease diagnosis.
• Improving biosensor sensitivity is key to effective disease surveillance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review signal amplification strategies for electrochemical biosensors in infectious disease detection.
• To explore various amplification techniques and their applications.
• To address challenges and future directions in the field.

Main Methods:

• Review of enzymatic signal amplification (endonuclease, nucleotidyl transferase, DT-diaphorase, alkaline phosphatase).
• Exploration of nanoparticle-based amplification (gold nanoparticles, quantum dots, magnetic nanoparticles).
• Examination of label-free techniques (electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, surface plasmon resonance) and hybrid methods.

Main Results:

• Enzymatic methods applied to tuberculosis, HIV, and COVID-19 detection.
• Nanoparticle methods used for hepatitis B, Zika, and Ebola virus detection.
• Label-free and hybrid methods demonstrated for dengue, influenza, malaria, and bacterial infections.

Conclusions:

• Diverse signal amplification strategies significantly enhance electrochemical biosensor performance for infectious diseases.
• Addressing point-of-care needs and interferences is critical for clinical translation.
• Future research should focus on multiplexed assays and smartphone integration for advanced diagnostics.