Gold nanoparticle-based lateral flow kit for in vitro detection of malaria antibodies

Abstract

This study involves the development of three-dimensional dual lateral flow diagnostic assays. These assays were fabricated with quick response (QR) barcodes to ease the accessibility and transfer test data. The assays were designed to also improve the collection and transfer of survey from point-of-care facilities to centralized laboratories, thus, these would help to speed-up response to disease out-break. The study introduces the fabrication of two barcode based malaria diagnostic in the field of diagnostics. Two lateral flow kits were modified with two QR barcodes and three QR barcodes encoded with Google analytics codes for the detection and real-time tracking of malaria lateral flow which was designed to detect Plasmodium lactate dehydrogenase (pLDH). The fabrication of test kit was achieved by attaching two and three QR barcodes into two different test kits which were encoded with websites that were linked to Google analytics website as a tracking and performance monitor. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were used as a substrate, where optical and structural properties were studied using UV/Visible spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The anti-mouse IgG antibody was used as a secondary antibody to act as control and the anti-(pLDH) was stripped on the test line. Phosphate buffer was used as a mobile phase solution. The antibody binding with pLDH antigen showed red test line indicating a positive test. Two diagnostic kits for rapid detection of pLDH were developed and validated for the detection of malaria antigen with lowest detectable recombinant concentration of 10 ng.mL-1. The diagnostic kits were incorporated with two and three optimally angled QR barcodes for identifying positive and negative. The second three QR barcode embedded test kit identified positive, negative and invalid using tracked website. These QR barcodes enabled massive results and tracking with precise location of the test through Google Analytics.