Aptamer-gold nanoparticle conjugates for the colorimetric detection of arboviruses and vector mosquito species.

The real-time, colorimetric detection of analytes aptamer-gold nanoparticle technology has proven to be an important, emerging technique within the medical field. Of global health importance, the ability to detect vector mosquito species, such as the () mosquito, and transmitted arboviruses, such as Zika virus, is paramount to mosquito control and surveillance efforts. Herein, we describe the detection of salivary protein for vector identification and the detection of Zika virus to assess mosquito infection status by aptamer-gold nanoparticle conjugates. Key to optimization of these diagnostics were gold nanoparticle capping agents and aptamer degree of labelling (, the amount of aptamers per gold nanoparticle). In the present study, detection was achieved for as little as 10 ng salivary protein and 1.0 × 10 PFU live Zika virus. These aptamer-gold nanoparticle conjugate diagnostics could one day prove to be useful as deployable nano-based biosensors that provide easy-to-read optical read outs through a straightforward red-to-blue colour change either within a diagnostic solution or atop a card/membrane-based biosensor.