tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
. 2021 Jul 27;118(30):e2106724118.
doi: 10.1073/pnas.2106724118.
Minute-scale detection of SARS-CoV-2 using a low-cost biosensor composed of pencil graphite electrodes
Lucas F de Lima[SUP] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 [/SUP], André L Ferreira[SUP] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 [/SUP], Marcelo D T Torres[SUP] 1 2 3 4 5 6 [/SUP], William R de Araujo[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Cesar de la Fuente-Nunez[SUP] 9 2 3 4 5 6 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
COVID-19 has led to over 3.47 million deaths worldwide and continues to devastate primarily middle- and low-income countries. High-frequency testing has been proposed as a potential solution to prevent outbreaks. However, current tests are not sufficiently low-cost, rapid, or scalable to enable broad COVID-19 testing. Here, we describe LEAD (Low-cost Electrochemical Advanced Diagnostic), a diagnostic test that detects severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) within 6.5 min and costs $1.50 per unit to produce using easily accessible and commercially available materials. LEAD is highly sensitive toward SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (limit of detection = 229 fg⋅mL[SUP]-1[/SUP]) and displays an excellent performance profile using clinical saliva (100.0% sensitivity, 100.0% specificity, and 100.0% accuracy) and nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal (88.7% sensitivity, 86.0% specificity, and 87.4% accuracy) samples. No cross-reactivity was detected with other coronavirus or influenza strains. Importantly, LEAD also successfully diagnosed the highly contagious SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 UK variant. The device presents high reproducibility under all conditions tested and preserves its original sensitivity for 5 d when stored at 4 °C in phosphate-buffered saline. Our low-cost and do-it-yourself technology opens new avenues to facilitate high-frequency testing and access to much-needed diagnostic tests in resource-limited settings and low-income communities.
Keywords: ACE2; COVID-19; graphite; point of care; sensor.
. 2021 Jul 27;118(30):e2106724118.
doi: 10.1073/pnas.2106724118.
Minute-scale detection of SARS-CoV-2 using a low-cost biosensor composed of pencil graphite electrodes
Lucas F de Lima[SUP] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 [/SUP], André L Ferreira[SUP] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 [/SUP], Marcelo D T Torres[SUP] 1 2 3 4 5 6 [/SUP], William R de Araujo[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Cesar de la Fuente-Nunez[SUP] 9 2 3 4 5 6 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 34244421
- DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2106724118
Abstract
COVID-19 has led to over 3.47 million deaths worldwide and continues to devastate primarily middle- and low-income countries. High-frequency testing has been proposed as a potential solution to prevent outbreaks. However, current tests are not sufficiently low-cost, rapid, or scalable to enable broad COVID-19 testing. Here, we describe LEAD (Low-cost Electrochemical Advanced Diagnostic), a diagnostic test that detects severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) within 6.5 min and costs $1.50 per unit to produce using easily accessible and commercially available materials. LEAD is highly sensitive toward SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (limit of detection = 229 fg⋅mL[SUP]-1[/SUP]) and displays an excellent performance profile using clinical saliva (100.0% sensitivity, 100.0% specificity, and 100.0% accuracy) and nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal (88.7% sensitivity, 86.0% specificity, and 87.4% accuracy) samples. No cross-reactivity was detected with other coronavirus or influenza strains. Importantly, LEAD also successfully diagnosed the highly contagious SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 UK variant. The device presents high reproducibility under all conditions tested and preserves its original sensitivity for 5 d when stored at 4 °C in phosphate-buffered saline. Our low-cost and do-it-yourself technology opens new avenues to facilitate high-frequency testing and access to much-needed diagnostic tests in resource-limited settings and low-income communities.
Keywords: ACE2; COVID-19; graphite; point of care; sensor.