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Paper-based screening platform quickly identifies contamination
A novel platform using paper and specially developed ink could provide a quick diagnosis of food-contaminating pathogens such as Clostridium difficile, according to recent data.
“Due to its portability, abundance and low cost, paper has drawn increasing interest as a platform for sensing devices, particularly in the field of point-of-care diagnostics and disease screening applications for the developing world,” John D. Brennan, PhD, director of the Biointerfaces Institute and Canada research chair in bioanalytical chemistry at McMaster University, and colleagues wrote. “We report a simple technique for creating an ‘all inkjet-printed’ paper-based aptamer biosensor that does not require printing of hydrophobic barriers or complicated functionalization steps to immobilize the sensing elements on the paper surface, and allows high-speed printing.”
Brennan and colleagues developed a bioink capable of producing a signal when placed in contact with specific substances. Composed of megadalton-sized tandem repeating structure-switching DNA aptamers, it can be used to create sensors on filter paper through common inkjet printing.
“Imagine being able to clearly identify contaminated meat, vegetables or fruit,” Brennan said in a press release. “For patients suspected of having infectious diseases like C. diff, this technology allows doctors to quickly and simply diagnose their illnesses, saving time and expediting what could be life-saving treatments. This method can be extended to virtually any compound, be it a small molecule, bacterial cell or virus.”
Compared to previous paper-based biosensing techniques, the researchers wrote, the platform is less costly, easier to produce, and could be used in remote locations or a physician’s practice. While primarily developed for use in detecting foodborne pathogens, Brennan said, its flexibility could allow for broader implementation.
“We could conceivably adapt this for numerous applications which would include rapid detection of cancer or monitoring toxins in the water supply,” Brennan said in the release. “There are hundreds of possibilities.”
Disclosure: Infectious Disease News was unable to confirm relevant financial disclosures.