Simultaneous detection of multiple lower genital tract pathogens by an impedimetric immunochip

Abstract

Lower genital tract infections caused by both sexually and not-sexually transmitted pathogens in women are a key public health priority worldwide, especially in developing countries. Since standard analyses are time-consuming, appropriate therapeutic intervention is often neglected or delayed. Lab-on-chips and biosensors open new perspectives and offer innovative tools to simplify the diagnosis by medical staff, especially in countries with inadequate resources. Here we report a biosensing platform based on Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) that allows multiplexed detection of Candida albicans, Streptococcus agalactiae and Chlamydia trachomatis with a single biochip, enabling a quick screening thanks to the presence of different immobilized antibodies, each specific for one of the different target pathogens.

Keywords: Candida albicans; Chlamydia trachomatis; Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy; Immunoassay; Immunochip; Lab-on-chip; Microfluidics; On-chip diagnosis; Streptococcus agalactiae; Vaginosis.