Optical Biosensors for the Detection of Pathogenic Microorganisms

Pathogenic microorganisms are causative agents of various infectious diseases that are becoming increasingly serious worldwide. For the successful treatment of pathogenic infection, the rapid and accurate detection of multiple pathogenic microorganisms is of great importance in all areas related to health and safety. Among various sensor systems, optical biosensors allow easy-to-use, rapid, portable, multiplexed, and cost-effective diagnosis. Here, we review current trends and advances in pathogen-diagnostic optical biosensors. The technological and methodological approaches underlying diverse optical-sensing platforms and methods for detecting pathogenic microorganisms are reviewed, together with the strengths and drawbacks of each technique. Finally, challenges in developing efficient optical biosensor systems and future perspectives are discussed.

TrendsRapid and accurate pathogen diagnosis is important for saving lives from infection.Various optical sensors have been developed for the detection of pathogens.Microfluidic-integrated optical sensors are useful for point-of-care diagnostics.Smartphone-based optical sensors provide a simple user interface for rapid sensing at reduced cost with ubiquitous capabilities.Improvement is needed for more rapid, accurate, and multiplex sensing of pathogens.