A field-deployable microfluidic platform for point-of-care testing of aquaculture biosecurity

Infectious diseases persistently threaten aquaculture, particularly in shrimp farming, which urgently requires deployable diagnostic technologies for biosecurity management. However, current methods are limited by complex sample matrices, reliance on centralized laboratories, and delayed data feedback, making them unsuitable for on-site detection in decentralized settings. Here, we reported a deployable platform utilizing injection molded SlipChip microfluidic device that performs automated nucleic acid testing from shrimp tissues in aquaculture settings. The platform successfully detected Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei, white spot syndrome virus, highly lethal Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and decapod iridescent virus 1 as low as 200 copies/reaction within 35 min. The results of 103 shrimp samples on the platform were highly concordant with qPCR (κ = 0.957). Additionally, untrained farmers were able to independently carry out pathogen detection without complex manual operations. This platform enabled on-site testing for timely infection management, and holds promise for broader POCT applications in food safety.