Immunosensors-The Future of Pathogen Real-Time Detection

• Published in: Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 22; no. 24; p. 9757
• Main Authors: Janik-Karpinska, Edyta, Ceremuga, Michal, Niemcewicz, Marcin, Podogrocki, Marcin, Stela, Maksymilian, Cichon, Natalia, Bijak, Michal
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 13.12.2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Adsorption; Bacteria; biological agents; Biosensing Techniques - methods; Biosensors; Competition; detection; Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay - methods; Enzymes; Gold; Immunoassay; Immunology; Immunosensors; Methods; Molecular weight; Pathogens; Point of care testing; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Proteins; Quantum dots; Review; Selectivity; Toxins; Transportation systems; Israel; detection; biosensors; immunosensors; pathogens; biological agents
• ISSN: 1424-8220; 1424-8220
• DOI: 10.3390/s22249757

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.