Detection of methicillin-resistant staphylococci by biosensor assay consisting of nanoscale films on optical fiber long-period gratings.

Methicillin-resistance among Staphylococcus species is a major health problem in hospitals, communities, and animals. There is a need for culture-free diagnostic assays that can be carried out rapidly, and maintain a high degree of sensitivity and specificity. To address this need an ionic self-assembled multilayer (ISAM) film was deposited on the surface of a long-period grating (LPG) optical fiber by immersion alternately in poly-allylamine hydrochloride and in poly-1-[p-(3'-carboxy-4'-hydroxyphenylazo) benzenesulfonamido]-1,2-ethandiyl (PCBS), resulting in terminal carboxyl groups on the LPG-ISAM.