Rapid diagnostic testing platform for iron and vitamin A deficiency

We demonstrate a technology that we believe could transform the way nutritional deficiency testing is done worldwide. Micronutrient deficiencies such as vitamin A and iron affect a third of the world's population with consequences such as blindness, higher child mortality, anemia, poor pregnancy outcomes, and reduced work capacity. Our testing platform simultaneously quantifies concentrations of ferritin, retinol-binding protein, and C-reactive protein, allowing one to diagnose iron and vitamin A deficiency and inflammation status (to better inform and help with the interpretation of the result) in about 15 min. Our approach combines multiple florescent markers and immunoassay approaches on a single test strip, allowing us to span the five orders of magnitude difference in the physiological range of these markers.