Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a high-priority antibiotic-resistant pathogen that requires rapid and specific diagnostic methods. We present an electrochemical biosensor platform named SCAN (Strand Cycling Amplification Nanosensor) for the highly accurate and efficient detection of P. aeruginosa. By combining bioinformatic screening of species-specific 16S rRNA fragments and the high-fidelity DNA recognition capability of the OMEGA-IsrB nuclease, the SCAN platform integrates enzymatic signal amplification with host-guest chemistry for electrochemical readout. This method achieves exceptional sensitivity, detecting down to 26 CFU/mL of bacterial genomic DNA within 150 min, and exhibits no cross-reactivity with closely related species, fungi, or human cells. When applied to clinical sputum samples, the SCAN platform demonstrated excellent agreement with standard diagnostic methods. With its rapid, culture-free, and precise detection capabilities, this technology offers a promising tool for clinical diagnostics and infection management.
Liao et al. (Tue,) studied this question.