Portable molecular diagnostic device and methods for the detection of target viruses

A method of detecting a nucleic acid using a molecular diagnostic test device, comprising:

• coupling the molecular diagnostic test device to a power source;
• conveying a biological sample into a sample preparation module within the molecular diagnostic test device via an input opening;
• covering the input opening with a lid coupled to the molecular diagnostic test device;
• in response to only the covering the input opening, causing the molecular diagnostic test device to:
• A) heat the biological sample via a heater of the sample preparation module within to lyse a portion of the biological sample to produce an input sample;
• B) convey the input sample to an amplification module within the molecular diagnostic test device, the amplification module defining a reaction volume;
• C) heat the input sample within the reaction volume to amplify the nucleic acid within the input sample thereby producing an output solution containing a target amplicon;
• and
• D) react within a detection module within the molecular diagnostic test device each of (i) the output solution and (ii) a reagent formulated to produce a signal that indicates a presence of the target amplicon within the output solution, the detection module including a detection surface configured to capture the target amplicon to produce the signal;
• and
• reading a result associated with the signal.

A method of detecting a nucleic acid, comprising:

• mixing, within a sample preparation module, a reverse transcriptase with a biological sample to form a reverse transcription solution;
• heating, within the sample preparation module, the reverse transcription solution to a first temperature within a lysing temperature range to release a ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecule;
• heating, within the sample preparation module, the reverse transcription solution to a second temperature within a reverse transcription temperature range to produce a complementary deoxyribonucleic acid (cDNA) molecule;
• heating, within the sample preparation module, the reverse transcription solution to a third temperature above an inactivation temperature to cause inactivation of the reverse transcriptase;
• and
• conveying the reverse transcription solution to an amplification module.

A method of detecting a nucleic acid using a molecular diagnostic test device, comprising:

• conveying at a first time a first volume of a first reagent solution from a reagent module within the molecular diagnostic test device to a detection module within the molecular diagnostic test device, the detection module including a detection surface configured to capture a. target amplicon associated with the nucleic acid, the first reagent solution including a blocking agent and a wash buffer, the first volume of the first reagent solution containing an amount of the blocking solution sufficient to adsorb to a surface within the detection module;
• conveying at a second time a sample solution containing the target amplicon into the detection module such that the target amplicon is captured on the detection surface;
• conveying after the second time a second reagent solution into the detection module, the second reagent solution formulated to cause a signal that indicates a presence of the target amplicon within the sample solution to be produced;
• and
• conveying after the second time a second volume of the first reagent solution into the detection module, the second volume of the first reagent solution containing an amount of the wash buffer sufficient to remove an unbound constituent from at least one of the sample solution or the second reagent solution from the detection module.