Recent advances in lateral flow immunoassay for virus detection: current achievements, challenges and future prospects.

Abstract

Infectious diseases continue to pose significant global public health challenges, highlighting the urgent need for rapid, accessible, and scalable diagnostic strategies. Lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA), characterized by its rapid response, low cost, and instrument-free operation, has been widely adopted for infectious disease detection. However, it is still predominantly regarded as a point-of-care testing (POCT) tool, while its broader role in public health systems remains underappreciated. In this review, LFIA is repositioned as a point-of-need (PoN) self-testing platform with the potential to enable large-scale screening, which is critical for epidemic surveillance and pandemic preparedness. We systematically summarize recent advances in LFIA from three key perspectives: (i) signal generation and transduction strategies based on diverse nanomaterials, including colorimetric, fluorescent, magnetic, SERS, and photothermal systems; (ii) multimodal and multiplex detection approaches for improving sensitivity, accuracy, and throughput; and (iii) the integration of machine learning (ML) for signal interpretation and system optimization. In addition, we comprehensively review the applications of LFIA in detecting viral antigens, antibodies, and nucleic acids. Finally, the current limitations of LFIA, including sensitivity constraints, target specificity, and practical challenges related to cost, usability, and stability, are critically discussed. Future development directions are proposed, emphasizing advanced nanomaterials, intelligent data processing, and multi-target detection strategies. Overall, this review highlights the transformative potential of LFIA, particularly colorimetric LFIA, as an emergency pandemic screening tool, as well as its growing significance in routine decentralized testing and strengthening global public health preparedness.