A 3D-ACEK/SERS system for highly efficient and selectable electrokinetic bacteria concentration/detection/ antibiotic-susceptibility-test on whole blood

This study demonstrates a novel multi-functional microfluidic system, designated three dimensional Alternative Current Electrokinetic/Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (3D-ACEK/SERS), which can concentrate bacteria from whole blood, identify bacterial species, and determine antibiotic susceptibilities of the bacteria rapidly. The system consists of a hybrid electrokinetic mechanism, integrating AC-electroosmosis (AC-EO) and dielectrophoresis (DEP) that allows thousand-fold concentration of bacteria, including S. aureus, Escherichia coli, and Chryseobacterium indologenes, in the center of an electrode with a wide range of working distance (hundreds to thousands of μm), while exclusion of blood cells through negative DEP forces. This microchip employs SERS assay to determine the identity of the concentrated bacteria in approximately 2 min with a limit of detection of 3 CFU/ml, 5 orders of magnitude lower than that using standard centrifugation-purification process. Finally, label-free antibiotic susceptibility testing has been successfully demonstrated on the platform using both antibiotic-sensitive and multidrug-resistant bacterial strains illustrating a potential utility of the system to clinical applications.