Smartphone-Based Lab-on-a-Chip Sensor for Flu Detection

摘要

Influenza, commonly referred to as flu, is so common that we often forget its danger. However, according to the CDC, it is one of the top ten causes of death in the United States (www.cdc.govchs/fastats/lcod.htm). Flu jumps from one species to another through coughs or sneezes. In the past couple of decades, we have witnessed two major outbreaks, of lethal flu variants: bird flu (influenza A/H5N1) and H1N1 flu (influenza A/H1N1). Since their initial symptoms are very similar to those of other seasonal flu variants, early diagnosis is critical. The current gold standard in flu detection is reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in which a specific sequence of genetic material from flu is copied about a million times. An alternative method, called an immunoassay, takes advantage of antibodies specific to the influenza virus. Both processes require a variety of laboratory equipment and a series of pipetting and liquid handling operations, all of which take several hours. They are preferably performed in a laboratory setting, which involves an additional time lag.