Silica-coated CdTe nanomaterial as high-affinity red fluorescence signal label for the detection of Vibrio vulnificus by lateral flow immunoassay

Vibrio vulnificus have seriously threatened human health through wound infection and bacterial contamination of seafood. Herein, a novel fluorescent lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) was developed to sensitively and rapidly detect Vibrio vulnificus by using polyclonal antibodies-functionalized CdTe@SiO 2 nanocomposite (CdTe@SiO 2 -pAb) as the advanced red fluorescent signal label. The fluorescent LFIA based on CdTe@SiO 2 -pAb exhibited a wide detection range from 2.51 × 10 4  CFU/mL to 1.40 × 10 8  CFU/mL with the low limit of detection of 3.95 × 10 3  CFU/mL for Vibrio vulnificus . Moreover, the constructed LFIA displayed excellent specificity and good recovery ranging from 93.3% to 104.1% towards spiked samples. Therefore, CdTe@SiO 2 -pAb was a promising fluorescent signal label of LFIA for the sensitive and handy detection of Vibrio vulnificus in contaminated seafood.