Diagnostic techniques for rapid detection of Vibrio species

Background: Vibrio sp. has caused several foodborne outbreaks of gastroenteritis around the world. Given the mounting evidence that Vibrio sp. poses a significant public health threat, and that initiating effective treatment for Vibrio infection requires rapid identification of the causative organism, there is a need for reliable, cost-effective point of care diagnostic testing. Conventional detection techniques that are the current gold standard in detecting Vibrio sp., are typically resource-intensive, laborious, and time-consuming. These limitations greatly hinder their efficiency in under-developed countries, which are usually the regions most affected by Vibrio infections. Thus, the development of rapid, reliable point of care detection methods is crucial to overcome the limitations of conventional methods. Aim of the review: This review aims to summarize and give insights into the array of diagnostic techniques for rapid detection of Vibrio sp. Key scientific concepts of review: This review focuses on different rapid methods to detect Vibrio sp., including polymerase chain reactions, loop-mediated isothermal amplification, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, microarrays, lateral flow immunoassays, aptasensors, spot dye-based sensors and CRISPR/Cas-PCR systems. The rapid detection methods were found to have high specificity and sensitivity in detecting various species within the genus Vibrio. However, each detection method has its own advantages and limitations, thus continuous effort is needed to improve on what is currently available and develop techniques with high sensitivity, specificity, affordability with minimal effort to obtain consistent and accurate diagnoses.