Electrochemical approaches towards sensing viruses: A mini review

This mini review focusses the development of electrochemical sensors for a variety of viruses, for example, West Nile virus, dengue (DENV-2, DENV-3, DENV-4), human phenotypes, H5N1, human norovirus, Japanese encephalitis (JEV), diarrhoea virus and rotavirus. These sensors are classified into four types based on Faradaic current measurement, impedance, conductivity and the current flow in a field effect transistor. While the first two have been well investigated, the latter two albeit in preliminary stages show great promise. Their simplicity, precision, sensitivity and rapid analysis make them valuable over conventional methods. The Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) can be assayed in 20 min with detection limit of 1 pg/ml. The combination of biology with chemistry and material science could be utilized to develop disposable sensors for the rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2, a virus that has caused havoc around the globe.