A portable, paper-based multiplexing immunosensor for detection of HIV and HCV markers in serum

Abstract

This paper reports an integrated diagnostic platform, including a paper-based electrochemical immunosensor array and a customized handheld potentiostat, for detecting protein markers of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) in serum. To our best knowledge, this is the first paper-based electrochemical immunosensing platform, with multiplexing and telemedicine capabilities, for diagnosing HIV/HCV co-infection. The platform can perform simultaneous enzyme-linked immunesorbent assays (ELISAs) on 8 serum samples, produce multiple measurement data for HIV and HCV markers from a single run, and transmit the results to remote sites for telemedicine. The unique integration of paper-based microfluidics and mobile instrumentation renders our tests portable, low-cost, user-friendly, and high-throughput.