A PARTICLE-ENHANCED DOUBLE-STRANDED DNA PROBE FOR RAPID DETECTION OF BACTERIAL 16S rRNA TOWARD URINARY TRACT INFECTION DIAGNOSTICS

摘要

In this paper, a novel approach for rapid, species-specific detection of pathogens via bacterial 16S rRNA is demonstrated using a microparticle enhanced double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) probe for point-of-care diagnostics. By incorporating strep-tavidin-coated microparticles to localize the biotinylated probes, the sensitivity of the assay is improved by three orders of magnitude and can detect as few as eight bacteria-without target amplification. The assay requires less than 40 min compared to days in standard procedure. The probe is highly specific against common uropathogens and is inert to the matrix effects in urine samples from patients with urinary tract infections (UTI).