Abstract

The increasing threats of emerging and reemerging infectious disease outbreaks demand research and development (R&D) of effective and fit-for-all-purpose tools and technologies for international public health security. Recent advances in biomedical engineering, mostly related to the convergence of communication and network technology in health, i.e., mobile health with microfluidic Lab-on-a-Chip technology can improve the international public health crises and employ in international public health security. Lab-on-a-Chip technology is now commonly found in most research centers, hospitals, and clinics where health care infrastructure is weak, and access to quality and timely medical care is challenging. Microfluidic devices—also known as Lab-on-a-Chip (LoC)—are an alternative for accessible, cost-effective, and early detection medical trials. The mHealth-based microfluidic LoC technology has been under rapid development, and they are becoming influential tools in a wide range of biomedical research and international public health applications. The perspective in this chapter demonstrates a potentially transformative opportunity for the deployment of mHealth with LoC with the fabrication protocols and their potential for strengthening and improving the international public health security. This attempt is not conclusive and exhaustive, and it is anticipated that such a discussion will enable the exchange of ideas between biomedical engineering, microfluidic LoC technology professionals, international public health, and health security experts.

Highlights

  • Emerging and reemerging infectious diseases, and their pandemic potential, pose a challenge to international public health security in the twenty-first century that cannot be overlooked [1]

  • It is widely discussed that microfluidic LoC technology has great potential to revolutionize the international public health field and possess the capability to give a boost to international public health security

  • One of the biggest challenges in the field of mobile health (mHealth)-based microfluidic LoC is the translation from academic research to end-user products

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Summary

Introduction

Emerging and reemerging infectious diseases, and their pandemic potential, pose a challenge to international public health security in the twenty-first century that cannot be overlooked [1]. Though the historical threat to international security by epidemic diseases is not new, the threat has increased in recent years and is growing rapidly. Before 1970, only nine countries had experienced severe dengue epidemics; at present, dengue fever has affected more than 100 countries in tropical and subtropical regions [5]. It was estimated by the World Health Organization (WHO) that approximately 150 million dengue infections occur annually, with a 30-fold increase in global incidence observed over the past 50 years [6]. Though international public health and health security traditionally occupied separate domains, in recent years, the imperative fusion between them has been recognized by policymakers and security and defense analysts in both developed and developing countries [7]

International public health security
Microfluidic Lab-on-a-Chip technology
Methodology: technology identification process
Photolithography
Softlithography
Microembossing
Injection molding
PDMS Lab-on-a-Chip
Thermoplastic-polymers Lab-on-a-Chip
Silicon and glass Lab-on-a-Chip
Advantages of microfluidic Lab-on-a-Chip technology
Conclusion
Findings
Conflict of interest
Full Text
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