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Siavash Moakhar R, Mahimkar R, Khorrami Jahromi A, Mahshid SS, Del Real Mata C, Lu Y, Vasquez Camargo F, Dixon B, Gilleard J, J Da Silva A, Ndao M, Mahshid S. Aptamer-Based Electrochemical Microfluidic Biosensor for the Detection of Cryptosporidium parvum. ACS Sens 2023; 8:2149-2158. [PMID: 37207303 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.2c01349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Cryptosporidium parvum is a high-risk and opportunistic waterborne parasitic pathogen with highly infectious oocysts that can survive harsh environmental conditions for long periods. Current state-of-the-art methods are limited to lengthy imaging and antibody-based detection techniques that are slow, labor-intensive, and demand trained personnel. Therefore, the development of new sensing platforms for rapid and accurate identification at the point-of-care (POC) is essential to improve public health. Herein, we propose a novel electrochemical microfluidic aptasensor based on hierarchical 3D gold nano-/microislands (NMIs), functionalized with aptamers specific to C. parvum. We used aptamers as robust synthetic biorecognition elements with a remarkable ability to bind and discriminate among molecules to develop a highly selective biosensor. Also, the 3D gold NMIs feature a large active surface area that provides high sensitivity and a low limit of detection (LOD), especially when they are combined with aptamers,. The performance of the NMI aptasensor was assessed by testing the biosensor's ability to detect different concentrations of C. parvum oocysts spiked in different sample matrices, i.e., buffer, tap water, and stool, within 40 min detection time. The electrochemical measurements showed an acceptable LOD of 5 oocysts mL-1 in buffer medium, as well as 10 oocysts mL-1 in stool and tap water media, over a wide linear range of 10-100,000 oocysts mL-1. Moreover, the NMI aptasensor recognized C. parvum oocysts with high selectivity while exhibiting no significant cross-reactivity to other related coccidian parasites. The specific feasibility of the aptasensor was further demonstrated by the detection of the target C. parvum in patient stool samples. Our assay showed coherent results with microscopy and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, achieving high sensitivity and specificity with a significant signal difference (p < 0.001). Therefore, the proposed microfluidic electrochemical biosensor platform could be a stepping stone for the development of rapid and accurate detection of parasites at the POC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rohan Mahimkar
- Infectious Diseases and Immunity in Global Health (IDIGH), Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec H4A 3J1, Canada
- National Reference Centre for Parasitology, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, Montreal, Quebec H4A 3J1, Canada
| | | | - Sahar Sadat Mahshid
- Biological Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario M4N 3M5, Canada
| | | | - Yao Lu
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0E9, Canada
| | - Fabio Vasquez Camargo
- National Reference Centre for Parasitology, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, Montreal, Quebec H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Brent Dixon
- Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Food Directorate, Health Canada, 251 Sir Frederick Banting Driveway, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0K9, Canada
| | - John Gilleard
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1 N4, Canada
| | - Alexandre J Da Silva
- US FDA-Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, College Park, Maryland 20740, United States
| | - Momar Ndao
- National Reference Centre for Parasitology, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, Montreal, Quebec H4A 3J1, Canada
- Department of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Quebec H3G 2M1, Canada
| | - Sara Mahshid
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0E9, Canada
- Department of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Quebec H3G 2M1, Canada
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