Application of Nanobiosensors in the Diagnosis of Leishmaniasis in Humans with a One Health Approach: A Systematic Review

Introduction

Rapid and accurate detection of Leishmaniasis is essential to interrupt transmission and prevent epidemics of this fatal zoonotic disease. This systematic review aims to study the types of nanobiosensors developed for the detection of Leishmaniasis, and to analyze their diagnostic performance in a One Health context.

Methods

This systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases were searched for articles published in English between January 2018 and December 2025 with the keywords nanobiosensor, Leishmania, Leishmaniasis, gold nanoparticles, electrochemical nanosensors, DNA sensor, One Health, detection in reservoir animals, and environmental detection. Three reviewers were involved in screening and data extraction. Of the 187 articles found, 22 original articles with inclusion criteria, including the development of a nanobiosensor for the detection of Leishmaniasis and reporting performance parameters with applicability in low-resource settings, were included in the final analysis.

Results

Based on this systematic review, six main categories of nanobiosensors have been developed for highly accurate detection of Leishmaniasis. Gold nanoparticle-based sensors (gene sensors and lateral flow assays) detect trace amounts of parasite DNA with sensitivity far superior to traditional methods like microscopy and ELISA. Graphene-based electrochemical sensors are portable and ideal for field use, while quantum dot sensors enable simultaneous detection of multiple pathogens in endemic areas. Aptamer-based sensors (chitosan-carbon dot nanocomposite) act like synthetic antibodies to accurately identify parasite surface proteins with excellent specificity. Electrochemical immunosensors using magnetic-carbon nanocomposites can precisely detect antibodies in patient serum, effectively solving the problem of differential diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis from clinically similar diseases such as malaria and typhoid fever.

Conclusion

Nanobiosensors have demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy for leishmaniasis in a One Health context; however, challenges such as standardization, scalability, cost-effectiveness, regulatory approval, and implementation in resource-limited settings must be addressed.