SERS-based Lateral Flow Assay Research Articles

A surface-enhanced Raman scattering-based competitive lateral flow assay for on-orbit rapid detection of bone loss biomarker CTX I

The complexity of space environment will lead to a series of health problems, especially the bone loss caused by weightlessness is one of the key medical problems limiting long-term manned space flight. However, the size and energy constraints of the aircraft make conventional bone loss detection methods impractical. Hence, it is necessary to establish on-orbit bone loss detection methods to ensure the health of astronauts. As one of NASA's recommended methods, the lateral flow assay (LFA) would be an ideal tool to solve this problem. Herein, a surface-enhanced Raman based molecular probe was designed and integrated with LFA to detect carboxy-terminal cross-linked telopeptides of type I collagen (CTX I) with high sensitivity and specificity, and the limit of detection was 232 pg/mL. This method was not interference by the serum matrix or other targets, and the storage life of LFA was up to 6 months at 4 °C. Compared with the method previously reported, SERS-based LFA was an ideal detection method with simple operation, convenient and time saving. It is also expected to be chosen as a potential analytical tool to detect bone loss for long-term on-orbit, and guarantee the health of astronauts.

Development and optimization of surface-enhancement Raman scattering-based lateral flow immunoassays for the ultrasensitive detection of cardiac troponin I

Cardiac Troponin I is measurable using point-of-care testing (POCT) and lateral flow assay (LFA) for diagnosing acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in a clinical method that combines the advantages of cost-effectiveness, rapid detection, and ease of use. However, the limitation of LFA is that it hinders the diagnosis of patients with a low analyte concentration, necessitating additional blood tests. Surface-enhancement Raman scattering (SERS)-based LFA can provide the quantitative assay with high sensitivity. This study reports a straightforward process for developing SERS-based LFA that detected 0.02 ng/mL analyte in human serum compared to the 1.56 ng/mL analyte detected using optical intensity measurement in LFA. To ensure highly sensitive detection, the size (30 to 100 nm) of Au nanoparticle (NP) in SERS tags was optimized in SERS-based LFA, and a stronger SERS intensity was achieved using 50 nm AuNP SERS tags. The reaction time and LFA buffer components were determined, and laser wavelength and power were investigated. By optimizing these parameters for SERS-based LFA, the sensitivity of SERS was 78-fold higher than that of optical intensity measurement. This procedure could be beneficial for developing a SERS-based LFA to detect various biomarkers with high sensitivity for potential POCT applications.

Dual-mode SERS-based lateral flow assay strips for simultaneous diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza a virus

Since COVID-19 and flu have similar symptoms, they are difficult to distinguish without an accurate diagnosis. Therefore, it is critical to quickly and accurately determine which virus was infected and take appropriate treatments when a person has an infection. This study developed a dual-mode surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-based LFA strip that can diagnose SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A virus with high accuracy to reduce the false-negative problem of the commercial colorimetric LFA strip. Furthermore, using a single strip, it is feasible to detect SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A virus simultaneously. A clinical test was performed on 39 patient samples (28 SARS-CoV-2 positives, 6 influenza A virus positives, and 5 negatives), evaluating the clinical efficacy of the proposed dual-mode SERS-LFA strip. Our assay results for clinical samples show that the dual-mode LFA strip significantly reduced the false-negative rate for both SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A virus.

Simultaneous detection of circulating tumor DNAs using a SERS-based lateral flow assay biosensor for point-of-care diagnostics of head and neck cancer.

Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) has recently emerged as an ideal target for biomarker analytes. Thus, the development of rapid and ultrasensitive ctDNA detection methods is essential. In this study, a high-throughput surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-based lateral flow assay (LFA) strip is proposed. The aim of this method is to achieve accurate quantification of TP53 and PIK3CA E545K, two types of ctDNAs associated with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), particularly for point-of-care testing (POCT). Raman reporters and hairpin DNAs are used to functionalize the Pd-Au core-shell nanorods (Pd-AuNRs), which serve as the SERS probes. During the detection process, the existence of targets could open the hairpins on the surface of Pd-AuNRs and trigger the first step of catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA) amplification. The next stage of CHA amplification is initiated by the hairpins prefixed on the test lines, generating numerous "hot spots" to enhance the SERS signal significantly. By the combination of high-performing SERS probes and a target-specific signal amplification strategy, TP53 and PIK3CA E545K are directly quantified in the range of 100 aM-1 nM, with the respective limits of detection (LOD) calculated as 33.1 aM and 20.0 aM in the PBS buffer and 37.8 aM and 23.1 aM in human serum, which are significantly lower than for traditional colorimetric LFA methods. The entire detection process is completed within 45 min, and the multichannel design realizes the parallel detection of multiple groups of samples. Moreover, the analytical performance is validated, including reproducibility, uniformity, and specificity. Finally, the SERS-LFA biosensor is employed to analyze the expression levels of TP53 and PIK3CA E545K in the serum of patients with HNSCC. The results are verified as consistent with those of qRT-PCR. Thus, the SERS-LFA biosensor can be considered as a noninvasive liquid biopsy assay for clinical cancer diagnosis.

Multiplex SERS-based lateral flow assay for one-step simultaneous detection of neomycin and lincomycin in milk

Neomycin and lincomycin are widely used in the treatment of infections illnesses. However, the irrational and inappropriate of antibiotics contributes to threaten human health seriously. We developed a rapid and multiple detection strategy for trace amounts of neomycin (NEO) and lincomycin (LIN) in milk using Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS)-based lateral flow assay (LFA). The method used two SERS immunoprobes (a probe for NEO and a probe for LIN) were mixed and applied to the conjugate pad, and then, the NEO-OVA and LIN-OVA were mixed and coated on LFA as the only test line. Simultaneous quantitative detection of NEO and LIN was achieved by detecting the Raman intensity of captured immunoprobes on test line using a Raman spectrometer. Under optimized condition, NEO and LIN could be detected as low as 0.33 pg/mL and 0.29 pg/mL in 15 min with a sample volume of 100 μL. The practicality of the LFA in milk sample was also validated. The method is highly sensitive, accurate, and effective. It has a good chance to be employed for multiple antibiotics detection in food products.

Universal and ultrasensitive detection of foodborne bacteria on a lateral flow assay strip by using wheat germ agglutinin-modified magnetic SERS nanotags.

Rapid, direct and sensitive detection of foodborne bacteria in complex samples is still challenging. Here, we reported a universal surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-based lateral flow assay (LFA) for highly sensitive detection of foodborne bacteria in food and environmental samples using wheat germ agglutinin (WGA)-modified Fe3O4@Au (Au@MNP-WGA) nanotags. The Au@MNP-WGA tag with numerous intraparticle hotspots was integrated into the LFA system for the first time, which can not only greatly improve the detection sensitivity through the dual amplification effect of magnetic enrichment and SERS enhancement but also achieve the broad-spectrum capture of multiple bacteria. In addition, monoclonal antibodies were separately immobilized onto the test line of different LFA strips to ensure the specific detection of different target pathogens. With this strategy, the proposed assay can achieve the universal and highly sensitive determination of three common foodborne bacteria, namely, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter jejuni, and Staphylococcus aureus, with low detection limit (10 cells mL−1), short testing time (<35 min), and high reproducibility (RSD < 8.14%). Given its good stability and accuracy in complex samples, the Au@MNP-WGA-based SERS-LFA has great potential to be a powerful tool for the universal and on-site detection of different foodborne pathogens.

SERS-Based Ultrasensitive Lateral Flow Assay for Quantitative Sensing of Protein Biomarkers

The remarkable optical properties of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has prompted the design and fabrication of SERS nanoparticles as biosensing and imaging labels. Among a variety of biosensing assay platforms within the growing point of care technology (POCT) field, lateral flow assay (LFA) has gained significant attention because of their simplicity, low cost, and user-friendly assay protocols. Herein, we show the development and performance benchmarking of SERS-based LFA for rapid and quantitative sensing of two important biomarkers: hCG and cTnT. The results suggest the feasibility of this platform for POCT applications.

Rapid and Sensitive SERS-Based Lateral Flow Test for SARS-CoV2-Specific IgM/IgG Antibodies.

As an immune response to COVID-19 infection, patients develop SARS-CoV-2-specific IgM/IgG antibodies. Here, we compare the performance of a conventional lateral flow assay (LFA) with a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-based LFA test for the detection of SARS-CoV-2-specific IgM/IgG in sera of COVID-19 patients. Sensitive detection of IgM might enable early serological diagnosis of acute infections. Rapid detection in serum using a custom-built SERS reader is at least an order of magnitude more sensitive than the conventional LFAs with naked-eye detection. For absolute quantification and the determination of the limit of detection (LOD), a set of reference measurements using purified (total) IgM in buffer was performed. In this purified system, the sensitivity of SERS detection is even 7 orders of magnitude higher: the LOD for SERS was ca. 100 fg/mL compared to ca. 1 μg/mL for the naked-eye detection. This outlines the high potential of SERS-based LFAs in point-of-care testing once the interference of serum components with the gold conjugates and the nitrocellulose membrane is minimized.

Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering-Based Dual-Flow Lateral Flow Assay Sensor for the Ultrasensitive Detection of the Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone.

The surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-based lateral flow assay (LFA) strip has been considered a high-sensitivity sensor that can overcome the low sensitivity and the difficulty of quantitative analysis problems inherent in the colorimetric LFA sensor. In the SERS-based LFA strip reported so far, a liquid sample flows through the nitrocellulose membrane in a single pathway. In some cases, however, this single-flow approach still has a limitation in detection sensitivity. This study developed a conceptually new SERS-based dual-flow LFA sensor to improve the detection sensitivity in a single-flow LFA sensor. First, a 25 nm Raman reporter-labeled gold nanoparticle (AuNP) solution flowed through one way, and a 45 nm AuNP solution continuously flowed through another path. This sequential flow of two different AuNP solutions enables forming additional bright hot spots between 25 and 45 nm AuNPs in the test line, and the SERS signal is strongly enhanced. Using this SERS-based dual-flow LFA sensor, it was possible to detect thyroid-stimulating hormone less than 0.5 μIU/mL that cannot be measured with a SERS-based single-flow LFA sensor.

Retraction Note to: A SERS-based lateral flow assay for the stroke biomarker S100-β.

A surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-based lateral flow assay (LFA) is described for the quantitative analysis of the proteinic stroke biomarker S100-β that has to be detected at very low concentration levels. The Raman reporter 5,5′-dithiobis-2-nitrobenzoic acid (DTNB) on gold nanoparticles (GNPs) was employed as the SERS tags. They are shown to perform much better than bare GNPs in LF strips. The S100-β protein can be detected by this method with very low detection limits by monitoring the intensity of the characteristic Raman peak of the S100-β protein-conjugated GNPs at 1332 cm−1. Under optimized conditions, the assay works in the 1 pg·mL−1 to 40 ng·mL−1 S100-β concentration range, and the detection limit is as low as 0.14 pg·mL−1. This is lower by a factor of 3 compared to colorimetric or fluorimetric methods.

Rapid ultra-sensitive diagnosis of clostridium difficile infection using a SERS-based lateral flow assay.

Clostridium difficile (C. diff) infection is one of the most contagious diseases associated with high morbidity and mortality rates in hospitalised patients. Accurate diagnosis can slow its spread by determining the most effective treatment. Herein, we report a novel testing platform as a proof-of-concept for the selective, sensitive, rapid and cost-effective diagnosis of C. diff infection (CDI) based on a duplex measurement. This was achieved by detecting two specific biomarkers, surface layer protein A (SlpA) and toxin B (ToxB), using a surface enhanced Raman scattering-based lateral flow assay (SERS-based LFA). The simultaneous duplex detection of SlpA with ToxB has not been described for the clinical diagnosis of CDI previously. The SlpA biomarker "AKDGSTKEDQLVDALA" was first reported by our group in 2018 as a species-specific identification tool. The second biomarker, ToxB, is the essential virulence biomarker of C. diff pathogenic strains and is required to confirm true infection pathogenicity. The proposed SERS-based LFA platform enabled rapid duplex detection of SlpA and ToxB on separate test lines using a duplex LF test strip within 20 minutes. The use of a handheld Raman spectrometer to scan test lines allowed for the highly sensitive quantitative detection of both biomarkers with a lowest observable concentration of 0.01 pg μL-1. The use of a handheld device in this SERS-based LFA instead of benchtop machine paves the way for rapid, selective, sensitive and cheap clinical evaluation of CDI at the point of care (POC) with minimal sample backlog.

Synthesis and deposition of Silver nanostructures on the silica microsphere by laser-assisted photochemical method for SERS applications

The homogeneous distribution of nano-metallic structures on the surface-enhanced Raman (SERS) substrates plays an important factor for high-sensitive Raman scattering measurement. In this paper, we present a low-cost laser-assisted photochemical method for making a SERS probe based on silver nanostructures, which are one-timely synthesized nano-silver structures, homogeneously deposited on silica microsphere surfaces. Achieved SERS-activity substrates with a homogeneous distribution of Ag-nanostructures are verified by a mapping technique on the surface of Ag-coated microsphere for the detection of low concentration of Rhodamine 6G in aqueous solutions in a range of 10-4-10-9M. The obtained results show that a SERS microsphere probe has a good repetition of SERS-activity in any space of sensing area, and large potential for application in a biochemical sensing technique. Full Text: PDF ReferencesY. Chen et al., "Interfacial reactions in lithium batteries", J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 50, 02510 (2017). CrossRef T.B. Pham, H. Bui, H.T. Le, V.H. Pham, "Characteristics of the Fiber Laser Sensor System Based on Etched-Bragg Grating Sensing Probe for Determination of the Low Nitrate Concentration in Water", Sensors 17, 0007 (2017). CrossRef X. Wang, O.S. Wolfbeis, "Fiber-Optic Chemical Sensors and Biosensors (2013–2015)", Anal. Chem. 88, 203 (2016). CrossRef R. Wang, K. Kim, N. Choi, X. Wang, J. Lee, J.H. Joen, G. Rhie, J. Choo, "Highly sensitive detection of high-risk bacterial pathogens using SERS-based lateral flow assay strips", Sens. Actuators B-Chem. 270, 72 (2018). CrossRef H. Zhang et al., "Determination of Pesticides by Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy on Gold-Nanoparticle-Modified Polymethacrylate", Anal. Let. 49, 2268 (2016). CrossRef L. Chen, H. Yan, X. Xue, D. Jiang, Y. Cai, D. Liang, Y.M. Jung, X.X. Han, B. Zhao, "Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) Active Gold Nanoparticles Decorated on a Porous Polymer Filter", Appl. Spectrosc. 71, 1543 (2017). CrossRef A. Matikainen, T. Nuutinen, P. Vahimaa, S. Honkanen, "A solution to the fabrication and tarnishing problems of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) fiber probes", Sci. Rep. 5, 8320 (2015). CrossRef J. Zhang, S. Chen, T. Gong, X. Zhang, Y. Zhu, "Tapered Fiber Probe Modified by Ag Nanoparticles for SERS Detection", Plasm. 11, 743 (2016). CrossRef W. Xu et al., "A Dual-Butterfly Structure Gyroscope", Sensors 17, 467 (2017). CrossRef K. Setoura, S. Ito, M. Yamada, H. Yamauchi, H. Miyasaka, "Fabrication of silver nanoparticles from silver salt aqueous solution at water-glass interface by visible CW laser irradiation without reducing reagents", J. Photochem. Photobio. A: Chem. 344, 168 (2017). CrossRef K. Liu, Y. Bai, L. Zhang, Z. Yang, Q. Fan, H. Zheng, Y. Yin, C. Gao, "Porous Au–Ag Nanospheres with High-Density and Highly Accessible Hotspots for SERS Analysis", Nano Lett. 16, 3675 (2016). CrossRef Z. Huang, X. Lei, Y. Liu, Z. Wang, X. Wang, Z. Wang, Q. Mao, G. Meng, "Tapered Optical Fiber Probe Assembled with Plasmonic Nanostructures for Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Application", ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 7, 17247 (2015). CrossRef

Recent advances in sensitive surface-enhanced Raman scattering-based lateral flow assay platforms for point-of-care diagnostics of infectious diseases

This review reports the recent advances in surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-based lateral flow assay (LFA) platforms for the diagnosis of infectious diseases. As observed through the recent infection outbreaks of COVID-19 worldwide, a timely diagnosis of the disease is critical for preventing the spread of a disease and to ensure epidemic preparedness. In this regard, an innovative point-of-care diagnostic method is essential. Recently, SERS-based assay platforms have received increasing attention in medical communities owing to their high sensitivity and multiplex detection capability. In contrast, LFAs provide a user-friendly and easily accessible sensing platform. Thus, the combination of LFAs with a SERS detection system provides a new diagnostic modality for accurate and rapid diagnoses of infectious diseases. In this context, we briefly discuss the recent application of LFA platforms for the POC diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2. Thereafter, we focus on the recent advances in SERS-based LFA platforms for the early diagnosis of infectious diseases and their applicability for the rapid diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2. Finally, the key issues that need to be addressed to accelerate the clinical translation of SERS-based LFA platforms from the research laboratory to the bedside are discussed.

SERS-based lateral flow assay combined with machine learning for highly sensitive quantitative analysis of Escherichia coli O157:H7.

In the present study, surface-enhanced Raman scattering-based lateral flow assay (SERS-LFA) strips were applied to promptly and sensitively detect Escherichia coli O157:H7 (E. coli O157:H7) to ensure food safety. The SERS nanotags were prepared by connecting peculiar monoclonal antibody (McAb) against E. coli O157:H7 directly onto the surfaces of gold-silver core-shell nanostructures loaded with two-layer Raman reporter molecules of 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB). The Raman signal intensity at 1335cm-1 on the test line (T line) of SERS-LFA strips was detected in the wide range of 101-109 colony-forming units/mL (CFU/mL), and regression models based on machine learning were combined to accurately and quantitatively analyze E. coli O157:H7. The limit of detection (LOD) of the extreme gradient boosting regression (XGBR) based on the Raman signal intensity of DTNB was 6.94 × 101CFU/mL for E. coli O157:H7, which was approximately four orders of magnitude lower than that of visual limits. In addition, although E. coli O157:H7 was spiked into the food matrices including milk and beef at an ultra-low dose of 10CFU/mL, the SERS-LFA combined with XGBR was able to successfully explore E. coli O157:H7 from the mixture that was incubated for only 2h, in which the recoveries were mainly distributed between 86.41 and 128.25%. In summary, these results demonstrated that the SERS-LFA had a significant potential as a powerful tool for the point-of-care testing (POCT) of E. coli O157:H7 in the early food contamination stage.

Rational design of thiolated polyenes as trifunctional Raman reporter molecules in surface-enhanced Raman scattering nanotags for cytokine detection in a lateral flow assay.

The characteristic vibrational spectroscopic fingerprint of Raman reporter molecules adsorbed on noble metal nanoparticles is employed for the identification of target proteins by the corresponding surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) nanotag-labeled antibodies. Here, we present the modular synthesis of thiolated polyenes with two to five C═C double bonds introduced via stepwise Wittig reactions. The experimental characterization of their electronic and vibrational properties is complemented by density functional theory calculations. Highly SERS-active nanotags are generated by using the thiolated polyenes as Raman reporter molecules in Au/Au core/satellite supraparticles with multiple hot spots. The cytokines IL-1β and IFN-γ are detected in a duplex SERS-based lateral flow assay on a nitrocellulose test strip by Raman microscopy. The thiolated polyenes are suitable for use in immuno-SERS applications such as point-of-care testing as well as cellular and tissue imaging.

Biosensor platforms for rapid HIV detection.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a type of lentivirus (a subgroup of retrovirus), causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). This pathophysiologic state destroys the immune system allowing opportunistic infections, cancer and other life-threatening diseases to thrive. Although many analytic tools including enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA), indirect and line immunoassay, Western blotting, radio-immunoprecipitation, nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) have been developed to detect HIV, recent developments in nanosensor technology have prompted its use as a novel diagnostic approach. Nanosensors provide analytical information about behavior and characteristics of particles by using biochemical reactions mediated by enzymes, immune components, cells and tissues. These reactions are transformed into decipherable signals, i.e., electrical, thermal, optical, using nano to micro scale technology. Nanosensors are capable of both quantitative and qualitative detection of HIV, are highly specific and sensitive and provide rapid reproducible results. Nanosensor technology can trace infant infection during mother-to-child transmission, the latent HIV pool and monitor anti-HIV therapy. In this chapter, we review nanosensor analytics including electrochemical, optical, piezoelectric, SERS-based lateral flow assay, microfluidic channel-based biosensors in the detection of HIV. Other techniques in combination with different biorecognition elements (aptamers, antibodies, oligonucleotides) are also discussed.

A SERS-based lateral flow assay for the stroke biomarker S100-β.

A surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-based lateral flow assay (LFA) is described for the quantitative analysis of the proteinic stroke biomarker S100-β that has to be detected at very low concentration levels. The Raman reporter 5,5'-dithiobis-2-nitrobenzoic acid (DTNB) on gold nanoparticles (GNPs) was employed as the SERS tags. They are shown to perform much better than bare GNPs in LF strips. The S100-β protein can be detected by this method with very low detection limits by monitoring the intensity of the characteristic Raman peak of the S100-β protein-conjugated GNPs at 1332cm-1. Under optimized conditions, the assay works in the 1pg·mL-1 to 40ng·mL-1S100-β concentration range, and the detection limit is as low as 0.14pg·mL-1. This is lower by a factor of 3 compared to colorimetric or fluorimetric methods. Graphical abstract Schematic illustration of the configuration (A) and the principle of the SERS-based lateral flow assay for quantification of S100-β (B).

RETRACTED: A SERS-based lateral flow assay biosensor for quantitative and ultrasensitive detection of interleukin-6 in unprocessed whole blood

This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal). This article has been retracted at the request of the co-Editors in Chief and with the agreement of the authors, after a reader observed that Figure 3b had been partially duplicated with Figure 3a published in a previous publication by the same authors (Anal. Chem. (2017) 89:1163-1169) https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.6b03536

A novel SERS-based lateral flow assay for differential diagnosis of wild-type pseudorabies virus and gE-deleted vaccine

Pseudorabies virus (PRV) is a pathogen that causes an acute infectious disease in pigs, which could lead to huge losses to the farming industry. The Bartha-K61 strain of PRV, commonly used as a gE-deleted vaccine, does not always protect against the wild-type virus infection effectively. Therefore, the prompt detection of viral infection in gE-deleted vaccine vaccinated pigs is crucial for in-time measures to prevent the spread of diseases. In this study, we developed a Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy(SERS) based lateral flow assay based on antigen-antibody reaction to meet the demand. Our method was rapid (15 min), sensitive (LOD: 5 ng mL−1), selective for wild-type PRV detection, and quantitatively or semi-quantitatively (DLR: 41–650 ng mL−1) compatible. The detection results from this method were consistent with results from the gE-specific PCR, indicating that this SERS-based lateral flow assay could be used as a new tool to differentially diagnose wild-type PRV and gE-deleted vaccine.

Highly sensitive detection of high-risk bacterial pathogens using SERS-based lateral flow assay strips

Bacterial pathogens such as Yersinia pestis, Francisella tularensis, and Bacillus anthracis are classified into the highest rank of potential bioterrorism agents. Colorimetric lateral flow assay (LFA) strips are commercially available but these conventional strips have drawbacks in terms of low sensitivity and limit of quantitative analysis. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a new sensing platform to detect these pathogens in the early contamination stage. In this study, a novel surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-based LFA strip was developed for sensitive detection of bacterial pathogens. Target-specific SERS nanotags (Raman reporter-labeled gold nanoparticles) were used as an alternative to the gold nanoparticles in conventional LFA strips. Using these SERS nanotags the presence of bacteria could be identified through a simple color change in the test line. Additionally, highly sensitive and accurate quantitative analysis could be performed by monitoring the characteristic Raman peak intensity of SERS nanotags that were captured in the test line. This highly sensitive method required a short assay time (15 min) and a tiny volume of pathogen sample (40 μL). We believe that the proposed SERS-based LFA technique has great potential as a valuable tool in the early detection of specific bacterial pathogens in the field due to its excellent analytical sensitivity.