The new sensor provides rapid detection of the airborne bird virus in the air

The new sensor provides rapid detection of the airborne bird virus in the air

Recent outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (also known as bird flu) have created a need for rapid and sensitive detection methods to mitigate the spread. Now researcher inACS sensorshave developed a prototype sensor that detects a type of influenza virus that causes avian flu (H5N1) in air samples. The low-cost, handheld sensor detects the virus at levels below an infectious dose and could lead to rapid aerosol testing for avian influenza in the air.

Bird flu can spread quickly when infectious respiratory droplets from birds and other animals are inhaled, and the virus's frequent mutations make airborne transmission to humans a concern. Current methods for detecting H5N1 viruses often require extensive sample preparation in a laboratory, e.g. Therefore, a sensor that quickly detects these airborne virus particles without sample preparation could identify transmission before an outbreak occurs. One solution could be the electrochemical capacitive biosensor (ECB), which has successfully detected other airborne viruses. Previously, a research team led by Rajan Chakrabarty created an electrochemical biosensor to detect SARS-CoV-2 particles in breath. This time, the team used ECB technology to detect and measure levels of H5N1 viruses in the air instead.

The new ECB consists of a thin network of Prussian blue nanocrystals and graphene oxide branches on a screen-printed carbon electrode. To detect the sensor H5N1 viruses, the researchers bound probes (aptamers or antibodies) sensitive to these pathogens to the network. They combined the sensor with a custom-made air meter that pulls droplets from the air and creates a liquid sample. When liquid samples containing H5N1 viruses were applied to the sensor, the viral particles bound to the probes changed and changed the sensor's capacity. By measuring the overall change in capacitance, the researchers were able to measure H5N1 levels in the liquid sample.

In demonstrations using aerosolized samples containing known amounts of inactivated H5N1 viruses, the ECB produced results within 5 minutes. The sensor's detection level for Vogel's influenza was 93 viral copies per 35 cubic feet (1 cubic meter) of air. The overall accuracy of the sensor was over 90% compared to measurements from a digital PCR test, the traditional method. Chakrabarty and the team say the new bird flu sensor holds promise for non-invasive, real-time aerial monitoring for both animal and human populations.

The authors confirm funding from the Frippab laboratory.

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