Pathogen Detection Methods

Timely pathogen detection is an important issue for the efficient prevention of outbreaks in the populations worldwide. The development of the sensor biotechnology in the last decades has set the basis for improved, faster and simplified detection of multiple analytes in complex matrices and a number of electrochemical, piezoelectric, and optical biosensors that have been applied with different success to the detection of either whole bacteria or bacterial components. The main advantages of this new technologic approach rely on the rapid response, cost-effectiveness, easiness of manipulation and the possibility of performing on-site and real-time analysis of the samples provided by biosensors. This book reviews the biosensor technology with a focus on its potential application to pathogen detection in the human food chain.