Sensitive and Low-Cost Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Using Smartphone Fluorescence Microscope With Possible Airborne Sensing Applications

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic created global challenges that required rapid and effective solutions. One of the main objectives for preventing and treating the spread of the pandemic was rapid and accurate testing of both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals. Due to high volume of testing required in the height of infection, there were delays and extended processing times for results from gold standard methods like RT-qPCR. My work contributes to the development of a smartphone fluorescence microscope-based immunofluorescence assay to detect SARS-CoV-2 with high sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy from multiplex saline gargle clinical samples. By focusing on analysis of saline gargle samples, uncomfortable sampling methods like nasopharyngeal (NP) or anterior nasal swabs which expose healthcare staff to virus could be avoided. Our particle counting device achieved a limit of detection of 10 ag/μL, and sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 100%, 88%, and 93% respectively. Additionally, I contributed to a review of airborne respiratory virus biosensors to examine current methods for detecting viruses like SARS-CoV-2 from the environment. We propose a combination of our smartphone fluorescence microscope with electrostatic sampling to a paper microfluidic chip for detection of airborne SARS-CoV-2.