Diagnostic assay device having microreactor

A diagnostic assay device for detecting an analyte in a sample specimen, the device comprising:

• a microreactor comprising a specimen-receiving chamber vertically above and fluidly connected to a reaction chamber, the reaction chamber housing a porous wicking filter comprising a plurality of capture molecules that specifically bind to the analyte and form an analyte-capture molecule complex;
• and
• an absorbent strip pad that comprises a test site and that is in fluid communication with the porous wicking filter, the test site comprising a plurality of binding molecules that are able to bind the analyte-capture molecule complex,
• wherein the specimen-receiving chamber comprises an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion having a top opening adapted to receive a buffer solution and a swab comprising the sample specimen, and the lower portion having a cavity in which at least a tip portion of the swab can be immersed in buffer solution to form a sample solution, the cavity comprising a bottom opening adjacent to the reaction chamber,
• wherein the dimensions and microstructure of the porous wicking filter are such that the porous wicking filter is able to hold a volume of the sample solution that is equal to or less than a volume of the sample solution held by the cavity in the lower portion of the sample-receiving chamber,
• wherein the microreactor is configured to flow the sample solution from the cavity to contact the porous wicking filter in the reaction chamber, and
• wherein the absorbent strip pad is configured to receive the sample solution from the reaction chamber and bind the analyte-capture molecule complex at the test site to indicate a presence of the analyte-capture molecule complex in the sample specimen.