Rapid detection of Staphylococcus aureus using a fluorescent PoC array for perioperative guidance for infection

Culture and other conventional diagnostic tests are hindered in their practicality as they are time- and labour intensive to perform. Point-of-care (POC) are designed for rapid, on-site pathogen detection and are increasingly recognized as a crucial tool for timely clinical decisions, especially in clinical settings in which the collection of the correct specimen requires invasive procedures, helping in defining effective therapies and optimizing patient management, particularly in perioperative settings. Accurate and timely detection of bacterial infection is critical for defining effective therapies and optimizing patient management, particularly in perioperative settings. Staphylococcus aureus, a leading cause of periprosthetic joint infection, requires rapid and reliable detection in order to define proper surgical treatment. We present an innovative portable point-of-care (PoC) device based on a fluorescent sensor array for the direct detection of S. aureus, via its secretome, in biological fluids, without the need for sample pre-treatment or signal amplification, minimizing false positives. Experimentally trained on bacterial supernatants, the sensor array delivers results within 40 min, achieving a low detection limit (10² CFU/mL) and a high selectivity, effectively discriminating S. aureus from other Gram-positive and -negative species. With a cost of ∼ € 5 per sample, this tool is suitable for clinical as well as decentralized settings. Preliminary evaluations in simulated synovial fluid further highlighted its potential in clinical settings.