Development and Validation of (Bio)Sensors for the Identification of Pathogens

NCT ID: NCT06548841

Last Updated: 2025-12-10

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Total Enrollment

149 participants

Study Classification

OBSERVATIONAL

Study Start Date

2024-05-30

Study Completion Date

2025-10-31

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the need to develop tests that are accurate, rapid, and inexpensive for the diagnosis of infectious diseases. This problem is relevant not only for viruses, but also for bacteria and parasites: the identification of pathogens at low concentrations by simple and accurate methods is still largely unsatisfied because these microorganisms are structurally complex and are incorporated in composite and diverse biological samples, which can create relevant interferences in pathogens' detection. Direct diagnostic approaches, such as microscopic examination, culture and molecular testing are carried out in equipped laboratories and require long waiting times to obtain the results. Recently developed point-of-care (POC) tests are a group of technologies that miniaturize tests into portable devices such that they can be performed both in well-equipped laboratories and outside the conventional laboratory setting. The present study aims to explore the feasibility and adaptability of newly developed platforms to detect: 1. a virus (SARS-CoV2), 2. a bacterium (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and 3. a protozoan parasite (Leishmania infantum) in clinical specimens, such as blood and respiratory samples. These newly developed platforms are expected to overcome the current limitations of molecular testing (high cost, time required and need for well-equipped laboratories) and rapid testing (high number of false-negative results). In addition, the newly developed platforms may have important clinical application in low-income countries, which will benefit from a simple and inexpensive approach to detect the many infectious diseases that affect millions of people each year.

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Infections Infection, Bacterial Infection Viral Infection, Parasite SARS CoV 2 Infection Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Infection Leishmania Infantum Disease

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Observational Model Type

COHORT

Study Time Perspective

OTHER

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

SARS-CoV2 positive patients

Patients recruited at Personal Genomics (center based in Verona, partner of the European project ECLIPSE), retrospective cohort.

Nanobiotechnology platforms

Intervention Type OTHER

The analyses will be carried out using the novel devices, which are of two types:

1. The first type of nanobiotechnological platform encompasses the hybridization of pathogen nucleic acids - that may be present in the clinical specimen - by employing specific molecular probes.
2. The second type of nanobiotechnological platform encompasses the use of capture bacteriophages or "bait Phages" to specifically detect bacterial or protozoan cell surface antigens (in the case of P. aeruginosa or L. infantum respectively) or viral particles (in the case of SARS-CoV2) and the use of reporter bacteriophages ("transducer Phages") for the transduction of the electrochemiluminescent signal.

SARS-CoV2 negative patients

Patients recruited at Personal Genomics (centre based in Verona), retrospective cohort.

Nanobiotechnology platforms

Intervention Type OTHER

The analyses will be carried out using the novel devices, which are of two types:

1. The first type of nanobiotechnological platform encompasses the hybridization of pathogen nucleic acids - that may be present in the clinical specimen - by employing specific molecular probes.
2. The second type of nanobiotechnological platform encompasses the use of capture bacteriophages or "bait Phages" to specifically detect bacterial or protozoan cell surface antigens (in the case of P. aeruginosa or L. infantum respectively) or viral particles (in the case of SARS-CoV2) and the use of reporter bacteriophages ("transducer Phages") for the transduction of the electrochemiluminescent signal.

P. aeruginosa positive patients

Patients recruited at IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, prospective cohort.

Nanobiotechnology platforms

Intervention Type OTHER

The analyses will be carried out using the novel devices, which are of two types:

1. The first type of nanobiotechnological platform encompasses the hybridization of pathogen nucleic acids - that may be present in the clinical specimen - by employing specific molecular probes.
2. The second type of nanobiotechnological platform encompasses the use of capture bacteriophages or "bait Phages" to specifically detect bacterial or protozoan cell surface antigens (in the case of P. aeruginosa or L. infantum respectively) or viral particles (in the case of SARS-CoV2) and the use of reporter bacteriophages ("transducer Phages") for the transduction of the electrochemiluminescent signal.

P. aeruginosa negative patients

Patients recruited at IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, prospective cohort.

Nanobiotechnology platforms

Intervention Type OTHER

The analyses will be carried out using the novel devices, which are of two types:

1. The first type of nanobiotechnological platform encompasses the hybridization of pathogen nucleic acids - that may be present in the clinical specimen - by employing specific molecular probes.
2. The second type of nanobiotechnological platform encompasses the use of capture bacteriophages or "bait Phages" to specifically detect bacterial or protozoan cell surface antigens (in the case of P. aeruginosa or L. infantum respectively) or viral particles (in the case of SARS-CoV2) and the use of reporter bacteriophages ("transducer Phages") for the transduction of the electrochemiluminescent signal.

L. infantum positive patients

Patients recruited at IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, retrospective and prospective cohort.

Nanobiotechnology platforms

Intervention Type OTHER

The analyses will be carried out using the novel devices, which are of two types:

1. The first type of nanobiotechnological platform encompasses the hybridization of pathogen nucleic acids - that may be present in the clinical specimen - by employing specific molecular probes.
2. The second type of nanobiotechnological platform encompasses the use of capture bacteriophages or "bait Phages" to specifically detect bacterial or protozoan cell surface antigens (in the case of P. aeruginosa or L. infantum respectively) or viral particles (in the case of SARS-CoV2) and the use of reporter bacteriophages ("transducer Phages") for the transduction of the electrochemiluminescent signal.

L. infantum negative patients

Patients recruited at IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, retrospective and prospective cohort.

Nanobiotechnology platforms

Intervention Type OTHER

The analyses will be carried out using the novel devices, which are of two types:

1. The first type of nanobiotechnological platform encompasses the hybridization of pathogen nucleic acids - that may be present in the clinical specimen - by employing specific molecular probes.
2. The second type of nanobiotechnological platform encompasses the use of capture bacteriophages or "bait Phages" to specifically detect bacterial or protozoan cell surface antigens (in the case of P. aeruginosa or L. infantum respectively) or viral particles (in the case of SARS-CoV2) and the use of reporter bacteriophages ("transducer Phages") for the transduction of the electrochemiluminescent signal.

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

Nanobiotechnology platforms

The analyses will be carried out using the novel devices, which are of two types:

1. The first type of nanobiotechnological platform encompasses the hybridization of pathogen nucleic acids - that may be present in the clinical specimen - by employing specific molecular probes.
2. The second type of nanobiotechnological platform encompasses the use of capture bacteriophages or "bait Phages" to specifically detect bacterial or protozoan cell surface antigens (in the case of P. aeruginosa or L. infantum respectively) or viral particles (in the case of SARS-CoV2) and the use of reporter bacteriophages ("transducer Phages") for the transduction of the electrochemiluminescent signal.

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* Obtaining informed consent
* Age ≥ 18 years
* Patients who meet one of the following conditions: SARS-CoV2 positive patients (group 1), SARS-CoV2 negative patients (group 2), P. aeruginosa positive patients (group 3), P. aeruginosa negative patients (group 4), L. infantum positive patients (group 5), L. infantum negative patients (group 6).

Exclusion Criteria

* None
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

University of Bologna

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Tiziana Lazzarotto

Director of the Microbiology Unit - IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Learn about the lead researchers overseeing the trial and their institutional affiliations.

Tiziana Lazzarotto, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Bologna, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna

Bologna, Bologna, Italy

Site Status

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

Italy

References

Explore related publications, articles, or registry entries linked to this study.

Todeschini R, Musti MA, Pandolfi P, Troncatti M, Baldini M, Resi D, Natalini S, Bergamini F, Galletti G, Santi A, Rossi A, Rugna G, Granozzi B, Attard L, Gaspari V, Liguori G, Ortalli M, Varani S. Re-emergence of human leishmaniasis in northern Italy, 2004 to 2022: a retrospective analysis. Euro Surveill. 2024 Jan;29(4):2300190. doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.4.2300190.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 38275016 (View on PubMed)

Burrow DT, Heggestad JT, Kinnamon DS, Chilkoti A. Engineering Innovative Interfaces for Point-of-Care Diagnostics. Curr Opin Colloid Interface Sci. 2023 Jun 8:101718. doi: 10.1016/j.cocis.2023.101718. Online ahead of print.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 37359425 (View on PubMed)

Okeke IN, Ihekweazu C. The importance of molecular diagnostics for infectious diseases in low-resource settings. Nat Rev Microbiol. 2021 Sep;19(9):547-548. doi: 10.1038/s41579-021-00598-5. Epub 2021 Jun 28.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 34183821 (View on PubMed)

Blann AD, Heitmar R. SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19: A Narrative Review. Br J Biomed Sci. 2022 Sep 6;79:10426. doi: 10.3389/bjbs.2022.10426. eCollection 2022.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 36148046 (View on PubMed)

Perveen S, Negi A, Gopalakrishnan V, Panda S, Sharma V, Sharma R. COVID-19 diagnostics: Molecular biology to nanomaterials. Clin Chim Acta. 2023 Jan 1;538:139-156. doi: 10.1016/j.cca.2022.11.017. Epub 2022 Nov 18.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 36403665 (View on PubMed)

Rossolini GM, Mantengoli E. Treatment and control of severe infections caused by multiresistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2005 Jul;11 Suppl 4:17-32. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-0691.2005.01161.x.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 15953020 (View on PubMed)

Breidenstein EB, de la Fuente-Nunez C, Hancock RE. Pseudomonas aeruginosa: all roads lead to resistance. Trends Microbiol. 2011 Aug;19(8):419-26. doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2011.04.005. Epub 2011 Jun 12.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 21664819 (View on PubMed)

Nicoletti G, Schito G, Fadda G, Boros S, Nicolosi D, Marchese A, Spanu T, Pantosti A, Monaco M, Rezza G, Cassone A, Garaci E; CIGAR (Gruppo Cooperativo Infezioni Gravi ed Antibiotico Resistenza). Bacterial isolates from severe infections and their antibiotic susceptibility patterns in Italy: a nationwide study in the hospital setting. J Chemother. 2006 Dec;18(6):589-602. doi: 10.1179/joc.2006.18.6.589.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 17267336 (View on PubMed)

Buchan BW, Windham S, Balada-Llasat JM, Leber A, Harrington A, Relich R, Murphy C, Dien Bard J, Naccache S, Ronen S, Hopp A, Mahmutoglu D, Faron ML, Ledeboer NA, Carroll A, Stone H, Akerele O, Everhart K, Bonwit A, Kwong C, Buckner R, Warren D, Fowler R, Chandrasekaran S, Huse H, Campeau S, Humphries R, Graue C, Huang A. Practical Comparison of the BioFire FilmArray Pneumonia Panel to Routine Diagnostic Methods and Potential Impact on Antimicrobial Stewardship in Adult Hospitalized Patients with Lower Respiratory Tract Infections. J Clin Microbiol. 2020 Jun 24;58(7):e00135-20. doi: 10.1128/JCM.00135-20. Print 2020 Jun 24.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 32350045 (View on PubMed)

Burza S, Croft SL, Boelaert M. Leishmaniasis. Lancet. 2018 Sep 15;392(10151):951-970. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31204-2. Epub 2018 Aug 17.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 30126638 (View on PubMed)

Maroli M, Rossi L, Baldelli R, Capelli G, Ferroglio E, Genchi C, Gramiccia M, Mortarino M, Pietrobelli M, Gradoni L. The northward spread of leishmaniasis in Italy: evidence from retrospective and ongoing studies on the canine reservoir and phlebotomine vectors. Trop Med Int Health. 2008 Feb;13(2):256-64. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3156.2007.01998.x.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 18304273 (View on PubMed)

Varani S, Cagarelli R, Melchionda F, Attard L, Salvadori C, Finarelli AC, Gentilomi GA, Tigani R, Rangoni R, Todeschini R, Scalone A, Di Muccio T, Gramiccia M, Gradoni L, Viale P, Landini MP. Ongoing outbreak of visceral leishmaniasis in Bologna Province, Italy, November 2012 to May 2013. Euro Surveill. 2013 Jul 18;18(29):20530.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 23929116 (View on PubMed)

Franceschini E, Puzzolante C, Menozzi M, Rossi L, Bedini A, Orlando G, Gennari W, Meacci M, Rugna G, Carra E, Codeluppi M, Mussini C. Clinical and Microbiological Characteristics of Visceral Leishmaniasis Outbreak in a Northern Italian Nonendemic Area: A Retrospective Observational Study. Biomed Res Int. 2016;2016:6481028. doi: 10.1155/2016/6481028. Epub 2016 Nov 23.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 27999807 (View on PubMed)

Boelaert M, Verdonck K, Menten J, Sunyoto T, van Griensven J, Chappuis F, Rijal S. Rapid tests for the diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis in patients with suspected disease. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014 Jun 20;2014(6):CD009135. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD009135.pub2.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 24947503 (View on PubMed)

Tateo F, Fiorino S, Peruzzo L, Zippi M, De Biase D, Lari F, Melucci D. Effects of environmental parameters and their interactions on the spreading of SARS-CoV-2 in North Italy under different social restrictions. A new approach based on multivariate analysis. Environ Res. 2022 Jul;210:112921. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.112921. Epub 2022 Feb 10.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 35150709 (View on PubMed)

Provided Documents

Download supplemental materials such as informed consent forms, study protocols, or participant manuals.

Document Type: Study Protocol

View Document

Related Links

Access external resources that provide additional context or updates about the study.

http://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789289052511

WHO Regional office for Europe. Manual on case management and surveillance of the leishmaniases in the WHO European Region

http://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-3-642-17841-2

Wehrens R. Chemometrics with R: Multivariate Data Analysis in the Natural Sciences and Life Sciences

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

ECLIPSE

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

More Related Trials

Additional clinical trials that may be relevant based on similarity analysis.

Dysbiosis & Long COVID
NCT06825819 RECRUITING