Abstract

Paper-based Analytical Devices For the Diagnosis and Monitoring of Infectious Diseases at the Point of Care

Jean-Manuel Segura, Professor, Institute of Life Technologies, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland Valais

The diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases require many in vitro diagnostic (IVD) tests to guarantee an accurate and efficient intervention. First, testing of generic inflammation markers such as CRP enable a rapid determination of the origin of the infection, either bacterial or viral. Then detailed analysis of genetic material or of specific biomarkers enables identification of the pathogen in order to select the most appropriate treatment. Finally, monitoring of the administrated therapeutic drugs in the blood allows for personalizing the dose in order to optimize efficacy while avoiding side effects. Performing these different tests at the point of care provides many benefits, in particular a more rapid intervention.

Paper offers many advantages as a material to produce IVD tests as it is cheap, amenable for mass manufacturing, easy to dispose after performing the test and it provides many functionalities for designing a test such as capillary-driven motion of liquids. Two main types of paper-based analytical tests exist with the lateral-flow assays, ideal to perform immunoassays, and the microfluidic paper-analytical devices, microPAD, ideal to perform enzymatic assays.

I will present our most recent results in developing various paper-based IVD tests for the diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases at the point of care. A particular emphasis will be put on a microPAD test for the monitoring of therapeutic antibiotics in the blood.