Patent ID: 8685714

Claim:
An electrochemical device for use in detecting a target antigen in a fluid sample, the device comprising: a reaction chamber including a) an internal surface, a proximal end, and a distal end, b) an immobilized antibody that can bind to the target antigen, said antibody being immobilized to an internal surface of the reaction chamber or said antibody being immobilized onto a support placed within the reaction chamber, and c) a reporter comprising an enzyme probe and an antigen configured for binding with the immobilized antibody; a detection chamber including a) an internal surface, a distal end, and a proximal end, b) electrodes for detecting an electrochemical reaction in the detection chamber, and c) a zone having a wall at the distal end of the detection chamber, wherein the wall is capable of being pierced to form a vent; and a sample passageway between the distal end of the reaction chamber and the proximal end of the detection chamber, the detection chamber trapping air when the fluid sample enters the sample passageway, preventing ingress of the fluid sample into the detection chamber; wherein the device is adapted to move the sample from the reaction chamber to the detection chamber via capillary action upon opening the vent by piercing the wall of the zone in the detection chamber to release trapped air, and wherein the presence of a target antigen in the fluid sample results in a measurable change in an electrochemical reaction in the detection chamber.