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The rapid testing capabilities of electrochemical biosensors is among one of their greatest advantages. Results are obtained within minutes, rather than hours or days with other conventional techniques. Waiting for days for results can lead to further viral communication in the community, or even death in the absence of proper care. Earlier response is vital to stopping the spread of disease and the key to saving lives.
Virus detection using screen-printed electrodes
Jun 8, 2020
Article
With significant global viral outbreaks becoming the norm rather than generational outliers, it is imperative that fast, sensitive, and cost-effective testing is available to the masses. It is only by a concerted effort of testing and tracing that viral outbreaks can be effectively controlled before becoming global pandemics.
Screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) allow rapid, widespread testing of populations for infectious disease, without the need of skilled personnel or burdensome equipment in the field. The possibility of point-of-care (POC) testing with SPEs has been exhibited in several recent studies. Metrohm DropSens, a manufacturer of SPEs as well as their compact measuring devices, is the right partner for virology research projects—big and small. With a high production capability, combined with a valid ISO 13485 certification «Manufacturing of sensors for medical devices», this means testing procedures developed on DropSens SPEs can be reliably scaled up for larger operations, with easier approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). As the leading brand in the market for this printing technology, Metrohm DropSens can design custom-made SPEs and offers the expertise and exceptional customer support needed for complicated projects at scale.
White Paper: Virus detection: Fast, sensitive, and cost-effective with electrochemical testing
Viral outbreaks and human health
Unlike the majority of bacteria, most viruses cause disease. Viruses, however, cannot survive without hosts, and therefore spread easily especially in densely populated areas. While bacterial infections can be fought with a range of antibiotics, viruses require specific vaccines which can be extremely difficult to manufacture.
Several viral outbreaks have caught global attention and attracted calls for faster, more accessible testing, including Ebola, avian influenza virus (H5N1, H1N1, and others), hepatitis, malaria, noroviruses, dengue, adenovirus, SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome, HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), and even HPV (human papillomavirus). While some are capable of killing their human hosts in a relatively short timespan, others can linger for decades.
One commonality between these diseases is that they have all been successfully tested with disposable, custom-made SPEs from Metrohm DropSens.
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The global pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), more commonly known as «COVID-19», has monopolized the headlines for several months. Each country’s response has varied: from the tactics of encouraging normalcy to attempt quicker herd immunity, to extremely strict quarantine measures, especially for the elderly, and the closure of borders and non-essential industries. However, the most effective way to trace and contain the spread of viruses is through comprehensive testing.
General viral testing methods and their drawbacks
The importance of testing for the presence of harmful viruses in the population cannot be overstated. In order to stop the spread of especially communicable diseases, testing must be accurate, reliable, timely, affordable, and of course widely available.
Viral testing can be accomplished via several different methods, including virus isolation cultures, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and other molecular methods like polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
