Optical point of care devices for diagnosis of urinary tract infections

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common bacterial infections affecting any part of the urinary system. Accurate and rapid UTI diagnosis is crucial for initiating appropriate and effective treatment and preventing further complications. Traditional diagnostic methods based on culturing require specialized expertise, controlled environments for culturing urine specimens, and specific analysis environments, and these methods are time-consuming. In contrast, optical devices offer tremendous advantages, including enhanced sensitivity, user-friendliness, and portability. These devices can be integrated with conventional methods to enhance the accessibility of diagnosis techniques, especially in resource-limited settings. Further research is needed to optimize optical devices' analytical performance and cost-effectiveness to harness their full potential in UTI diagnosis. This review delves into recent advancements in optics-based devices for urinary pathogen detection. After providing a succinct overview of UTIs and existing clinical practices for their detection, diagnosis, and treatment, the most recent studies about optical diagnostic technologies for UTI diagnosis were reviewed, and an exploration of the future prospects and conclusive insights were discussed. Unveiling the potential of optical technology for UTI diagnosis promises to revolutionize healthcare and exemplifies the inexhaustible possibilities at the intersection of science and medicine.