Biosensors: A Novel Approach for Pathogen Detection

Abstract

The detection of pathogenic bacteria is the key in prevention and identification of problems related to health and safety. Biosensors are analytical devices that allow the detection of biomolecules in a label-free, real-time, specific, highly sensitive format and can essentially serve as low-cost and highly efficient devices for diagnosis of pathogenic diseases. Different types of biosensor are being employed for detection of pathogenic microbes. Biosensors attach biological materials to a physiochemical transducer. The transducer is a device that produces the optical, calorimetric, acoustic, electrochemical, or magnetic signal of interaction between specific interaction partners such as target analyte and the immobilized biological materials. Immobilized layer produces a physicochemical change that is detected by the transducer. The transducer then yields a digital electronic signal proportional to the concentration of a specific analyte. Different types of biosensor are being employed for detection of pathogenic microbes. Diagnosis of pathogens by biosensors may become more popular than the standard methods, although achieving high-throughput and sensitivity are still important challenges.