Abstract
Paper-based lateral flow devices (LFDs) are regarded as ideal low-cost diagnostic solutions for point-of-care (POC) scenarios that allow rapid detection of a single analyte within a fluidic sample, and have been in common use for a decade. In recent years, there has been an increasing need for rapid and simultaneous detection of multiple analytes present within a single sample and to facilitate this, we report here a novel solution—detection using a multi-path LFD created via the precise partitioning of the single flow-path of a standard LFD using our previously reported laser direct-write (LDW) technique. The multiple flow-paths allow the simultaneous detection of the different analytes individually within each of the parallel channels without any cross-reactivity. The appearance of coloured test lines in individual channels indicates the presence of the different analytes within a sample. We successfully present the use of a LDW-patterned multi-path LFD for multiplexed detection of a biomarker panel comprising C-reactive protein (CRP) and Serum amyloid A-1 (SAA1), used for the diagnosis of bacterial infections. Overall, we demonstrate the use of our LDW technique in the creation of a novel LFD that enables multiplexed detection of two inflammation markers within a single LFD providing a detection protocol that is comparatively more efficient than the standard sequential multiplexing procedure.
Highlights
Across a wide range of fields that include not just clinical diagnostics and areas such as food safety testing and environmental assessment etc., the need for simple point-of-care (POC) testing solutions has become increasingly evident in recent years [1,2,3]
With these standard single-channel lateral flow devices (LFDs), we have shown the capability for detection of C-reactive protein (CRP) with a concentration down to 50 ng/mL, which is comparable with commercial enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) assays performed on microtiter plates
We have proposed a novel solution to achieve multiplexed diagnosis in LFDs that overcomes the limitations of current techniques including either interference of multiple test sites positioned in the same flow-path or increased device dimensions that require larger sample volumes
Summary
Across a wide range of fields that include not just clinical diagnostics and areas such as food safety testing and environmental assessment etc., the need for simple point-of-care (POC) testing solutions has become increasingly evident in recent years [1,2,3]. Has defined a set of essential requirements to which POC diagnostic tools/tests, developed for the challenging needs of under-resourced countries, should adhere. These well-defined criteria are summarized through the ‘ASSURED’ (Affordable, Sensitive, Specific, User-friendly, Robust, Equipment-free, Deliverable) acronym [4]. Significant effort has been made to develop such biosensors and one such example is paper-based microfluidic devices, which promise to satisfy these requirements Their inherent advantages such as low-cost, ease of use, portability, requiring small sample volumes and no additional need for laboratory equipment and trained personnel have attracted attention within the diagnostics research domain as a low-cost alternative to conventional POC diagnostic tools [5,6,7]
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