Abstract
Pyocyanin (PYO) is a metabolite specific for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In the case of immunocompromised patients, it is currently considered a biomarker for life-threating Pseudomonas infections. In the frame of this study it is shown, that PYO can be detected in aqueous solution by employing surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) combined with a microfluidic platform. The achieved limit of detection is 0.5 μM. This is ~2 orders of magnitude below the concentration of PYO found in clinical samples. Furthermore, as proof of principle, the SERS detection of PYO in the saliva of three volunteers was also investigated. This body fluid can be collected in a non-invasive manner and is highly chemically complex, making the detection of the target molecule challenging. Nevertheless, PYO was successfully detected in two saliva samples down to 10 μM and in one sample at a concentration of 25 μM. This indicates that the molecules present in saliva do not inhibit the efficient adsorption of PYO on the surface of the employed SERS active substrates.
Highlights
Increasing antibiotic resistance impedes the successful treatment of infections, such as pneumonia or tuberculosis
Pyocyanin from P. aeruginosa, ≥98% (HPLC) in powder form, silver nitrate (ACS reagent, 99%), hydroxylamine hydrochloride (ReagentPlus, 99%) and mineral oil were purchased from Sigma Aldrich
The synthesized nanoparticles characterized by hydroxylamine in and the presence of sodium at room temperature,were as established in the UV-Vis spectroscopy (Figure and transmission electron microscopy (TEM)were
Summary
Increasing antibiotic resistance impedes the successful treatment of infections, such as pneumonia or tuberculosis. This leads to longer hospital stays, higher medical costs and increased mortality [1]. It is essential to identify the exact pathogen prior to the antibiotic treatment. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an important gram-negative bacterium and is the leading cause of respiratory tract infections in the case of patients with compromised host defense mechanisms. This pathogen is responsible for the highest rates of acquired infections in intensive-care units [2]. Because of its intrinsic ability to develop antibiotic resistance, to form impenetrable biofilms and to release a large arsenal of virulence factors [3], P. aeruginosa is one of the greatest therapeutic challenges, and rapid detection, as well as the selection of the appropriate antibiotic to initiate the therapy, is critical to optimize the clinical outcome
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