PBIS-based system integrated with zinc–silver nanocomposite for the detection of Chikungunya virus

The advancement of systems for efficient, specific, rapid, and sensitive chikungunya virus (CHIKV) detection is critical in developing nations. To the extent of our familiarity, there have been no reports on the electro-chemical paper based immunosensing of CHIKV antigen. Therefore, the study aims to create a nanocomposite-based biosensor for CHIKV at point-of-care diagnostics. Briefly, Ag–ZnO nanocomposites were fabricated by chemical methods and characterized by FTIR analysis, UV–Vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, EDX analysis, and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). Ag–ZnO nanocomposites provide bio-compatibility to the biological recognition element on the surface of in-house fabricated screen-printed paper electrodes. The sensor demonstrated an extensive dynamic range (1ng/ml-100 μg/ml) while employing a voltametric detection in the presence of 0.5 mM ferro/ferri cyanide as a redox couple, with an estimated detection limit in the range of 1 ng/ml with optimal response time approximately 25 s. The applicability of the developed immunosensor is established by spiking CHIKV-Antigen into blood-serum samples. The constructed sensor has a shelf life of approximately thirty days. A portable platform for detecting CHIKV-Antigen provides rapid response and extreme sensitivity. Therefore, the suggested paper based immunosensor, i.e., PBIS offers a cost-effective diagnostic platform in scarce resource areas.