Microfluidics-Based Point-of-Care Testing (POCT) Devices in Dealing with Waves of COVID-19 Pandemic: The Emerging Solution

Abstract

Recent advances in microfluidics-based point-of-care testing (POCT) technology such as paper, array, and beads have shown promising results for diagnosing various infectious diseases. The fast and timely detection of viral infection has proven to be a critical step for deciding the therapeutic outcome in the current COVID-19 pandemic, which in turn not only enhances the patient survival rate but also reduces the disease-associated comorbidities. In the present scenario, rapid, noninvasive detection of the virus using low cost and high throughput microfluidics-based POCT devices embraces the advantages over existing diagnostic technologies, for which a centralized lab facility, expensive instruments, sample pretreatment, and skilled personnel are required. Microfluidic-based multiplexed POCT devices can be a boon for clinical diagnosis in developing countries that lacks a centralized health care system and resources. The microfluidic devices can be used for disease diagnosis and exploited for the development and testing of drug efficacy for disease treatment in model systems. The havoc created by the second wave of COVID-19 led several countries’ governments to the back front. The lack of diagnostic kits, medical devices, and human resources created a huge demand for a technology that can be remotely operated with single touch and data that can be analyzed on a phone. Recent advancements in information technology and the use of smartphones led to a paradigm shift in the development of diagnostic devices, which can be explored to deal with the current pandemic situation. This review sheds light on various approaches for the development of cost-effective microfluidics POCT devices. The successfully used microfluidic devices for COVID-19 detection under clinical settings along with their pros and cons have been discussed here. Further, the integration of microfluidic devices with smartphones and wireless network systems using the Internet-of-things will enable readers for manufacturing advanced POCT devices for remote disease management in low resource settings.

A Rapid and Sensitive Microfluidics-Based Tool for Seroprevalence Immunity Assessment of COVID-19 and Vaccination-Induced Humoral Antibody Response at the Point of Care

“…This also reduces plastic waste and infectious material waste, which is better for the environment and reduces cost. In comparing this technology with other microfluidics-based POC tests [ 51 ], we demonstrate the advances and advantages of our technology and instrumentation in the ease of handling, including minimal training to run the assay, high sensitivity while being quantitative, and a potential capability to be coupled with smart devices and cloud services for ease of data transmission and tether patient history and other datasets for comprehensive diagnostic reporting, demonstrated in our previous work [ 43 , 52 , 53 ].…”

A review of cardiac troponin I detection by surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy: Under the spotlight of point-of-care testing

“…In 1992 Lewandrowski et al again motivated the use of POCT by successfully implementing the first capillary blood glucose meter in hospital settings ( Lewandrowski et al, 1992 ). Since that day on, the demand of POCT began to increase constantly and experienced an acceleration in the current COVID-19 pandemic, where POCT is becoming the protagonist in controlling and achieving early detection and prompt treatment ( Yi et al, 2021 ; Kumar et al, 2022 ).The ideal requirements for a POCT system coincide with the criteria established by the World Health Organization Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (WHO/TDR) for the ideal diagnostic test that could be applied at all levels of the health care system, for clinical disease management of infectious tropical diseases and sexually transmitted infections. These criteria are abbreviated by the famous acronym ASSURED, as illustrates in Figure 1 ( Otoo and Schlappi, 2022 ).…”

“…These tests can be carried out in centralized laboratories, with an average result output of one or more days, or with Point-of-Care diagnostic tests (POCT), with results between 5 and 15 min after sampling ( Luppa et al, 2011 ; Abel, 2015 ; Florkowski et al, 2017 ). Currently, POCT present limitations when compared to centralized laboratory tests, such as lower analytical sensitivity, low precision and in some cases requires trained personnel for their use; however, they are a growing alternative for the disease management and control where timely and early diagnosis is vital, such as in CVD or diseases that can lead to the development of pandemics/epidemics ( Bissonnette and Bergeron, 2010 ; Ferreira et al, 2018 ; Kumar et al, 2022 ). According to the POCT market report of the BCC Research (Business Communications Company), a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.9% is projected for the 2021-2026 period, which represents about 43.5 billion dollars ( BCC Research, 2022 ).…”

Development of Paper Microfluidics with 3D-Printed PDMS Barriers for Flow Control

“…12 Therefore, μPADs may be ideal strategies for monitoring or diagnosing infectious diseases, especially in low resource underserved rural communities. 13 As a prominent example, μPADs have been employed for malaria diagnosis in Uganda, with the entire diagnostic procedure taking less than 50 min. 14 Compared to the laboratory detection equipment, μPADs act as individual functional units independent of laboratories and expensive equipment.…”

“…Therefore, μPADs may be ideal strategies for monitoring or diagnosing infectious diseases, especially in low resource underserved rural communities . As a prominent example, μPADs have been employed for malaria diagnosis in Uganda, with the entire diagnostic procedure taking less than 50 min .…”