A Novel <i>Proteus</i>-Specific, Piezoelectric Sensor Based on Newly Screened Targets

<i>Proteus</i> spp. are conditionally pathogenic bacteria that cause urinary tract infections, gastrointestinal diseases, and food poisoning. Accurate and rapid detection of <i>Proteus</i> is crucial in medical diagnosis and food safety. In the present study, a new 16S rRNA sequence fragment was identified as a <i>Proteus</i> detection target. A novel <i>Proteus</i> piezoelectric sensor was constructed based on this screened target by combining catalytic hairpin self-assembly target cycle technology, hybrid chain reaction amplification technology, and a piezoelectric sensor. The proposed method was rapid and highly specific; 10-10⁶ CFU/mL <i>Proteus</i> could be detected within 3 h in the presence of <i>Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus</i>, and other common bacteria. The limit of detection was as low as 10 CFU/mL. The proposed method could offer a rapid, sensitive, and specific approach for <i>Proteus</i> detection with broad application potential.