Immunosensors—The Future of Pathogen Real-Time Detection

Abstract

Pathogens and their toxins can cause various diseases of different severity. Some of them may be fatal, and therefore early diagnosis and suitable treatment is essential. There are numerous available methods used for their rapid screening. Conventional laboratory-based techniques such as culturing, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are dominant. However, culturing still remains the “gold standard” for their identification. These methods have many advantages, including high sensitivity and selectivity, but also numerous limitations, such as long experiment-time, costly instrumentation, and the need for well-qualified personnel to operate the equipment. All these existing limitations are the reasons for the continuous search for a new solutions in the field of bacteria identification. For years, research has been focusing on the use of immunosensors in various types of toxin- and pathogen-detection. Compared to the conventional methods, immunosensors do not require well-trained personnel. What is more, immunosensors are quick, highly selective and sensitive, and possess the potential to significantly improve the pathogen and toxin diagnostic-processes. There is a very important potential use for them in various transport systems, where the risk of contamination by bioagents is very high. In this paper, the advances in the field of immunosensor usage in pathogenic microorganism- and toxin-detection, are described.

Development of a New Lab-on-Paper Microfluidics Platform Using Bi-Material Cantilever Actuators for ELISA on Paper

“…ELISA is widely used in biomedical analyses, including immunoassays, food industry assays for food allergens, and toxicological assays [ 38 , 39 ]. These assays are typically carried out in microtiter plates or small vials.…”

The importance, benefits, and future of nanobiosensors for infectious diseases

“…64 Immunosensors use antibodies or antigens as the biological recognition element, selectively binding to target analytes, and are used in medical diagnostics, disease monitoring, and biodefense. 65 Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) biosensors, also known as nucleic acid biosensors, use DNA strands as the biological recognition element, detecting and analyzing DNA sequences, mutations, or specific genetic markers. 66 Also, piezoelectric biosensors use changes in temperature to detect and measure analytes, whereas thermal biosensors convert mechanical energy into electrical signals.…”

“…Tissue‐based biosensors use living tissues or cells as the biological recognition element, detecting and monitoring specific chemicals, or substances in real time 64 . Immunosensors use antibodies or antigens as the biological recognition element, selectively binding to target analytes, and are used in medical diagnostics, disease monitoring, and biodefense 65 . Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) biosensors, also known as nucleic acid biosensors, use DNA strands as the biological recognition element, detecting and analyzing DNA sequences, mutations, or specific genetic markers 66 .…”

Study of the reusability and stability of nylon nanofibres as an antibody immobilisation surface

“…When designing a new sensor device, not only the rapid and specific identification has to be taken into account, but also ease of handling, on-site use, and low production cost. Thus, several authors, such as Janik-Karpinska and colleagues in 2022 [ 3 ], have pointed out that rapid detection of pathogens and toxins in food, water, and the environment is a paramount health and safety need to reduce the risk of pandemic contamination. Early, reliable, and accurate diagnosis is therefore essential for health and food safety [ 4 – 5 ].…”