Rapid Enrichment and Ultrasensitive Detection of Influenza A Virus in Human Specimen using Magnetic Quantum Dot Nanobeads Based Test Strips

Graphical abstract
Highlights • Magnetic-quantum dot nanobeads can serve as enrichment substrate and fluorescent probe for virus detection using lateral flow assay. • Influenza A virus (IAV) virions were separated and enriched from clinical specimens. • Ultrasensitive detection of IAV virions with a LOD down to 22 pfu mL–1 within 35 minutes. • Good specificity between influenza B virus and two adenovirus strains.
Influenza A virus (IAV) possesses a high infectivity and pathogenicity, and can lead to severe respiratory infection with similar symptoms caused by some other common respiratory viruses. Lateral flow assay (LFA) has been widely deployed in remote settings as a rapid and reliable approach for point-of-care detection of infectious pathogens. However, it still remains challenging to detect IAV virions using LFA from clinical samples such as nasopharyngeal or throat swabs, because their various components and high viscosity can decrease flow velocity and lead to the nonspecific adsorption of nanoparticle labels on the sensing membrane. Herein, we demonstrated a magnetic quantum dot nanobeads (MQBs) based LFA for magnetic enrichment and fluorescent detection of IAV virions in clinical specimens. In this study, MQBs were synthesized and then conjugated with IAV-specific antibody to efficiently enrich IAV virions from complex biological matrix, but also serve as highly bright fluorescent probes in lateral flow strips. This assay can achieve quantitative detection of IAV virions with a low limit of detection down to 22 pfu mL–1 within 35 minutes, and show good specificity between influenza B virus and two adenovirus strains. Furthermore, the presented platform was able to directly detect IAV virions spiked in nasopharyngeal swab dilution, indicating its stability and feasibility in clinical applications. Thus, this point-of-care detection platform holds great promise as a broadly applicable approach for the rapid diagnosis of influenza A.