Plug-and-Play Optical Waveguide Sensor Systems for Chemical and Biomedical Sensing

Abstract

Outbreaks of bacteria have caused many problems over the last few years and are a major public health concern. Bacteria are now affecting our lives in many ways to a more severe extent, from contaminated food in markets to polluted water. There are some devices available which detect bacteria, however, all of them can only be used in the lab condition and are very expensive. This research is aimed at the development of a biomedical sensor which is capable of monitoring bacteria, especially focusing on diagnosing colorectal anastomotic leakage (AL) in patients at an early stage by detecting the existence of E. coli in the drain fluid. The occurrence of AL in patients after colon surgery is high and is cause for concern as it can lead to severe consequences, such as morbidity or even mortality. Therefore, there is a vital need for an efficient, on-line bedside tool to monitor the bacteria in the leakage: a diagnostic on-line device that is accurate, cost-effective, and ideally operates in an easy plug-and-play fashion which is beneficial for practical application.