Biosensors developed at the University of South Florida can detect infectious diseases in blood and bodily fluids as well as identify pathogenic microorganisms in contaminated water.

The researchers claim that the new sensors could be the most effective future frontline defence against diseases emerging after disasters such as the recent tsunami, as well as help reduce the every day, annual rates of illness and deaths caused by contaminated water and unsanitary conditions world-wide.

"In the wake of the recent tsunami, it was anticipated that infectious diseases could increase dramatically in affected areas," said Luis Garcia-Rubio, a chemical engineer at USF's College of Marine Science. "Public health officials rightfully fear thousands more will die from infectious water-borne and water-related diseases after the tsunami. When people are forced to live in crowded refugee camps, they are more easily exposed to infectious diseases that spread quickly due to a lack of clean drinking water and unsanitary conditions," Garcia-Rubio added.

The CMS research group, comprised of engineers, physicists microbiologists and chemists, is now testing portable, miniaturized biosensors that can - in real-time and continuously - monitor for a number of infectious diseases using as little as a single drop of blood. The sensors then wirelessly teleport data to a remote location for analysis.

"By optically identifying how an organism absorbs and scatters light, our new, minimally invasive technology identifies the light wave spectrum in a sample collected on-site," Garcia-Rubio explained adding, "Because each organism absorbs and scatters light differently, we can analyze the light wave spectrum and scatter pattern and identify an organism in the sample by comparing those patterns with known, catalogued samples."

Up to now, said Garcia-Rubio, without expensive processes and highly trained personnel, there have been no portable instruments capable of detecting and classifying either microorganisms or cells in real time.

According to Debra Huffman, a collaborator in Garcia-Rubio's lab, the new biosensors can detect malarial parasites, the dengue virus that causes dengue fever, e. coli, salmonella, shigalla and listeria as well as causes of bacterial dysentery, such as cryptosporidium (protozoan parasites). The sensors can also identify bacillus antrhacis, the anthrax organism that can be weaponised by terrorists, Huffman claims.