There is a need for a fast and non-invasive tool to detect Pseudomonas aeruginosa airway colonisation in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients unable to expectorate. Fifty CF children and 19 controls aged 5-17 years were included in the feasibility study. A surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) nanochip optimised for detection of trace amounts of the P. aeruginosa biomarker hydrogen cyanide (HCN) was mounted inside a Tedlar bag, which the patient breathed into. The SERS chip was then analysed in a Raman spectrometer, investigating the C≡N peak at 2131 cm-1 and correlated with sputum cultures. One new P. aeruginosa colonisation occurred during the trial period. The C≡N peak intensity was enhanced in this sample in contrast to the subject’s 3 other samples. Three additional patients had intense C≡N SERS signals from their breath, but no P. aeruginosa was cultured from their sputum. It is concluded that SERS spectroscopy can be developed into an easy to use hypersensitive clinical prescreening method for detection of HCN in human breath.

中文翻译：

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表面增强拉曼光谱法检测铜绿假单胞菌定植的儿童呼吸中的氰化氢

需要一种快速且非侵入性的工具来检测无法排痰的囊性纤维化（CF）患者中的铜绿假单胞菌气道定植。可行性研究包括50名CF儿童和19名5-17岁的对照组。为检测痕量铜绿假单胞菌生物标志物氰化氢（HCN）而优化的表面增强拉曼光谱（SERS）纳米芯片安装在Tedlar袋内，患者可以将其吸入。然后在拉曼光谱仪中分析SERS芯片，研究2131 cm-1处的C≡N峰并与痰培养物相关。在试验期间，发生了一个新的铜绿假单胞菌定植。与受试者的其他3个样品相比，该样品的C≡N峰强度得到了增强。另外三名患者的呼吸有强烈的C≡NSERS信号，但无P。从他们的痰中培养铜绿。结论是，SERS光谱学可以发展成为一种易于使用的超敏临床预筛查方法，用于检测人呼吸中的HCN。