A Low-Cost, Rapid, Fieldable Bacterial Detection System with Stabilized Phages

Rapid and reliable diagnostics of potential biological threats from both environmental and human samples with limited or no external power requirement under extreme environmental conditions are needed to provide a greater capability to protect soldiers in far forward military operations. Phages offer highly specific bacterial detection and identification of biological warfare agents and antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria and built-in replication, while LFI provides a diagnostic platform that is easy to use, inexpensive, and disposable with little or no equipment required for analyses. An assay that combines the advantages of phages and LFI and exhibits reliable and robust operation and storage in austere environments is desired. Triton Systems, Inc. proposes to develop a simple, low-cost, rapid, fieldable bacteria detection system that uses lateral flow immunoassay. The performance of the bacteria detection system will be evaluated after different exposure times to austere storage conditions to determine the stability of the device. If proven successful, the technology will be adapted for DoD-relevant bacteria including Bacillus anthracis in phase II.