Development of a disposable immunosensor device based on screen-printed electrodes for electrochemical detection of anti-Zika virus antibodies for the disease diagnosis

Abstract

The project proposal is the development of low cost electrochemical immunosensors for anti-Zika virus antibodies detection in human serum aiming the disease diagnosis. Although commercial kits for rapid disease diagnosis are available, they present poor specificity (varying from 40 to 100%) and sensitivity (between 37 and 65%). The analytical method proposed involves the fabrication of disposable electrochemical devices which will be modified with non-structural (NS) proteins. The project will be developed in partnership with the Biomedical Science Institute (São Paulo University/SP) which will provide NS proteins, antibodies, and samples. NS proteins will be chosen according to its specificity for detection of anti-Zika virus antibodies (Ab-Zika) present in the blood of infected patients. The Ab-Zika detection will be performed by electrochemical method using anti-IgG and/or anti-IgM antibodies labeled with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) protein. Immunosensors characterization and evaluation will be performed using serum samples from healthy subjects (negative control), patients infected with zika (positive control) and dengue in order to evaluate the method specificity. After analytical parameters optimization, figures of merit, such as sensitivity, limit of detection, repeatability, reproducibility, and dynamic interval, will be evaluated. (AU)