Rapid lateral flow assay for vibrio detection

A bacteria test device, comprising:

• at least one test strip comprising at least one porous carrier and having a first end comprising a sample inlet configured to receive a liquid sample, a second end, and a longitudinal axis;
• a conjugation zone disposed on the porous carrier adjacent to the first end, comprising a plurality of detection conjugates comprising nanoparticles conjugated to antibodies that specifically bind to one or more targets selected from the group consisting of:
• (i) bacteria of the Vibrio species;
• (ii) Thermostable Direct Hemolysin (TDH) and (iii) TDH-Related Hemolysin (TRH);
• a first detection zone disposed on the porous carrier between the conjugation zone and the second end, configured to detect the presence of bacteria of the species Vibrio, comprising a plurality of immobilized antibodies that bind specifically to bacteria of the Vibrio species;
• a second detection zone disposed on the porous carrier between the conjugation zone and the second end, configured to determine whether any bacteria present is active, comprising E. coli transformed with a quorum sensing plasmid specific to bacteria of the Vibrio species;
• and,
• a third detection zone disposed on the porous carrier between the conjugation zone and the second end, configured to determine whether any bacteria present is virulent, comprising a plurality of immobilized antibodies that bind specifically to at least one of TDH and TRH.