Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy As a Sensitive Method for UTI Diagnosis

Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) are bacterial infections that affect millions of people globally, every year, and are a considerable burden to health-care systems and citizens. The management of UTIs could significantly benefit from the development of fast and cost-effective Point-of-Care Testing (POCT) technologies. Surface-enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS)-based sensors, which provide spectra that reflect the biochemical properties of samples, are being investigated for such applications. A SERS-based sensor for UTI diagnosis could: (i) identify a sample as positive or negative for a UTI, (ii) classify the causative bacteria based on their species, and (iii) determine the bacterial sensitivity to antibiotics, all directly from urine samples. This tutorial provides an introduction to Raman spectroscopy and SERS, a description of relevant sample preparation procedures and data analysis techniques, as well as a brief review of recent developments in the field of UTI management and SERS.