Integrated prototype for point-of-care diagnosis of chlamydia trachomatis infections

Clinical research has shown that bacterial Chlamydia trachomatis infections are the most prevalent sexually transmitted infections, contributing to high rates of miscarriages and infertility worldwide. These infections are conventionally diagnosed via laboratory-based serological tests that quantify C.trachomatis-specific antibodies from patient blood. ^[1] These expensive and time-consuming tests are being replaced by “at home” testing kits that allow the patients to obtain the diagnosis without repetitive clinical visits. However, these kits heavily rely on the precision of the user to perform the procedures, leading to increased variability in diagnostic results. Here, we developed an integrated palm-sized antibody-testing prototype consisting of a Fluid Handling Device (FHD), that allows precise sample mixing, filtration and delivery of the processed fluids to an on-board microfluidic assay device for detection of C.trachomatis-specific antibodies, within an enclosed, manually-operated system, while decreasing contamination and enabling rapid and replicable antibody detection.