Integrated and Automated, Sample-In to Result-Out, System for Nanotechnology-Based Detection of Infectious Pathogens

An integrated and automated, sample-in to result-out, system for nanotechnology-based nucleic acid detection, was designed and used for real-time identification of pathogens from different types of samples, including feces, sputum, and serum. In order to assess the performance of this novel system, generated results were compared with the results of the assays on the same samples, conducted by the staff of Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) under a controlled environment, using Tianlong automated extraction and LightCycler detection. The results have documented that the two detection platforms generated essentially identical real-time fluorescence curves for different sample types and different viruses. Compared with the Tianlong automated extraction and LightCycler detection, which separately perform the nucleic acid extraction and real-time fluorescence PCR, the integrated and automated system with closed cartridge carries out the entire detection procedure in a closed box, avoiding any chances of contamination and ensuring the safety of the personnel.