Abstract
Lateral flow strip tests are a cost-effective method for detecting specific proteins in biological samples, which can be performed in the field without specialized expertise. While most recognizable in the pregnancy tests, there are many other applications for lateral flow strip technology. The pest control industry has increasingly emphasized the importance of pest monitoring to reduce unnecessary applications, focus interventions into locations with active pest infestations, and to develop records of pest infestation. Due to their cryptic behavior, the detection of bed bugs often necessitates labor-intensive, time-consuming and invasive visual inspections. A lateral flow strip test for the detection of bed bugs would represent a novel use for a well-established technology, which can enable pest control operators to rapidly confirm the presence or absence of bed bugs in a room. In the current report, we present an effort to develop and calibrate the lateral flow test devices for the detection of a bed bug specific protein. A variety of bed bug residue samples were prepared by varying several parameters: bed bug infestation level (1 bed bug/3 bed bugs), surface type (wood/fabric), feeding status (fed/unfed), and bed bug time-on-surface (1 d/7 d). Using a prototype sensor and test strip, we examined how these variables influenced the detection of the bed bug specific proteins in the sample and to what degree. We discuss how this lateral flow test device can be an effective tool to determine the presence or absence of bed bug proteins on a surface, providing highly credible evidence on bed bug infestations.
Highlights
Lateral flow strip tests are a cost-effective method for detecting specific proteins in biological samples, which can be performed in the field without specialized expertise
A necessary component to understanding the theoretical maximum detection accuracy of the lateral flow strips is understanding the signal values of swabs taken from clean/control surfaces compared to signal values of swabs taken from bed bug contaminated surfaces
Our finding that sensor values taken from fabric surfaces did not vary significantly from sensor values taken from wooden surfaces is a positive result (Table 1), as pest control operators can be expected to use a bed bug detection tool on a variety of surfaces; sensor values and the likelihood of bed bug detection should not vary significantly among surfaces swabbed
Summary
Lateral flow strip tests are a cost-effective method for detecting specific proteins in biological samples, which can be performed in the field without specialized expertise. The pest control industry has increasingly emphasized the importance of pest monitoring to reduce unnecessary applications, focus interventions into locations with active pest infestations, and to develop records of pest infestation Due to their cryptic behavior, the detection of bed bugs often necessitates laborintensive, time-consuming and invasive visual inspections. Pitfall traps are effective in detecting low-level bed bug infestations[5,6,9,10,13,14,15] Both sticky trap and pitfall trap require at least two separate visits by the pest control operator (one visit for installation and a separate visit to inspect traps). Bed bug detection services are commonly offered, such as human inspection by a pest control operator and the use of canine bed bug detection teams Like the devices, these vary in detection accuracy and cost. No device or service has yet been able to achieve high levels of bed bug detection accuracy, combined with low cost, and real-time results
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
