A new paper-based lateral flow nucleic acid (LFNA) test platform was established in this study using asymmetric polymerase chain ceaction (A-PCR) for signal amplification. This new method allowed a visual detection of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) nucleic acids with high specificity and low cost. In addition, as part of our strategy we employed a sandwich system of capture probe (CP)/gold nanoparticles (AuNPS) and silicon dioxide (SiO2) (AuNPS@SiO2) nanospheres/target DNA/avidin complexes as the sensing platform. Biotin-labeled target DNA was obtained by A-PCR and later introduced in the LF device. The CP/target DNA/AuNPS@SiO2 complexes were captured on the test zone by the specific reaction between biotin and avidin, and the remaining CP/AuNPS@SiO2 particles were captured on the quality control zone by the hybridization between CP and a quality control probe. Au@SiO2 accumulation in the test and quality control zones of the device enabled a visual detection of the specific target sequences. The method detection limit was 50 nM of the target DNA, which was lower than that of the LFNA biosensor (LFNAB) without PCR amplification and Au@SiO2 particles. In conclusion, the novel paper-based platform described here is a low cost, efficient and fast visual detection method that offers high sensitivity and other benefits compared to alternative methods in use.

Rising antibiotic resistance is a global threat that is projected to cause more deaths than all cancers combined by 2050. In this review, we set to summarize the current state of antibiotic resistance, and to give an overview of the emerging technologies aimed to escape the pre-antibiotic era recurrence. We conducted a comprehensive literature survey of >150 original research and review articles indexed in the Web of Science using \"antimicrobial resistance,\" \"diagnostics,\" \"therapeutics,\" \"disinfection,\" \"nosocomial infections,\" \"ESKAPE pathogens\" as key words. We discuss the impact of nosocomial infections on the spread of multi-drug resistant bacteria, give an overview over existing and developing strategies for faster diagnostics of infectious diseases, review current and novel approaches in therapy of infectious diseases, and finally discuss strategies for hospital disinfection to prevent MDR bacteria spread.

Accelerate Pheno™ (ACC) is a fully automated system providing rapid identification of a panel of bacteria and yeasts, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing of common bacterial pathogens responsible for bloodstream infections and sepsis. Diagnostic accuracy for identification ranges from 87.9 to 100%, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing categorical agreement is higher than 91%. The present review includes peer-reviewed studies on ACC published to date. Both interventional and hypothetical studies evidenced the potential positive clinical role of ACC in the management and therapy of patients with bloodstream infections and sepsis, due to the important reduction in time to report, suggesting a crucial impact on the therapeutic management of these patients, provided the presence of a hospital antimicrobial stewardship program, a 24/7 laboratory operating time and a strict collaboration between clinical microbiologist and clinician. Further prospective multicenter studies are necessary to explore the impact of this system on mortality, length of stay and spread of multidrug-resistant organisms.