Assessment of Hairpin-Functionalization of Gold Nanoparticles toward a Facile Detection of Zika Virus and Lineage Identification

Zika fever poses significant public health issues, especially if contracted during pregnancy, due to its association with congenital defects. Moreover, studies have reported that the lineage of the infecting virus affects the incidence of fetal neurological disorders. The reliable and sensitive identification of patients infected by Zika virus (ZIKV) is, therefore, crucial for monitoring infections during pregnancy. This study presents the functionalization of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with fluorescent hairpins (Hps) targeting specific ZIKV genome mutations for lineage identification. Several parameters, including the AuNPs size, the Hps structure, the functionalization method, and temperature, were investigated to optimize the sensing capabilities and fluorescence emission of the functionalized NPs. Overall, the designed multicolor Hp-AuNPs allowed for the detection of ZIKV gene in nanomolar concentrations and enabled the differentiation of ZIKV lineages within 15 min, offering a fast and reliable diagnostic tool for ZIKV identification.