New nucleic acid testing devices to diagnose infectious diseases in resource-limited settings

Point-of-care diagnosis based on nucleic acid testing aims to incorporate all the analytical steps, from sample preparation to nucleic acid amplification and detection, in a single device. This device needs to provide a low-cost, robust, sensitive, specific, and easily readable analysis. Microfluidics has great potential for handling small volumes of fluids on a single platform. Microfluidic technology has recently been applied to paper, which is already used in low-cost lateral flow tests. Nucleic acid extraction from a biological specimen usually requires cell filtration and lysis on specific membranes, while affinity matrices, such as chitosan or polydiacetylene, are well suited to concentrating nucleic acids for subsequent amplification. Access to electricity is often difficult in resource-limited areas, so the amplification step needs to be equipment-free. Consequently, the reaction has to be isothermal to alleviate the need for a thermocycler. LAMP, NASBA, HDA, and RPA are examples of the technologies available. Nucleic acid detection techniques are currently based on fluorescence, colorimetry, or chemiluminescence. For point-of-care diagnostics, the results should be readable with the naked eye. Nowadays, interpretation and communication of results to health professionals could rely on a smartphone, used as a telemedicine device. The major challenge of creating an “all-in-one” diagnostic test involves the design of an optimal solution and a sequence for each analytical step, as well as combining the execution of all these steps on a single device. This review provides an overview of available materials and technologies which seem to be adapted to point-of-care nucleic acid-based diagnosis, in low-resource areas.