LAMP Integrated Paper Microfluidic DNA Diagnostic Platform for Rapid Detection of MRSA

Abstract Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global health concern caused by the misuse of antibiotics in medicine, agriculture, and livestock. A major contributor to this crisis is methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), which makes treating common infections difficult. Traditional MRSA detection methods, like culture‐based tests and molecular assays, are often slow and expensive, restricting their use in on‐site diagnostics. To overcome these limitations, a novel paper‐based microfluidic platform has been developed for rapid and accurate MRSA detection. This platform integrates DNA isolation with loop‐mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and a vertical flow immunoassay (VFI), collectively termed PL‐VFI, to target the mecA gene specific to MRSA. Combining simplicity and precision, the device provides results within 1.5 hours without complex handling. It demonstrates high sensitivity and specificity with a detection limit of 10 1 CFU/ml (colony‐forming units per milliliter) and 1 fg (femtogram) DNA. Additionally, it successfully detects MRSA in clinical blood samples and offers a long shelf life, making it ideal for on‐site DNA diagnostics and resource‐limited settings.