DNA capture surfaces represent a powerful approach to developing highly sensitive sensors for identifying the cause of infection. Electrochemically deposited polypyrrole, PPy, films have been functionalized with electrodeposited gold nanoparticles to give a nanocomposite material, PPy-AuNP. Thiolated capture strand DNA, that is complementary to the sequence from the pathogen Staphylococcus aureus that causes mammary gland inflammation, was then immobilized onto the gold nanoparticles and any of the underlying gold electrode that is exposed. A probe strand, labelled with horse radish peroxidase, HRP, was then hybridized to the target. The concentration of the target was determined by measuring the current generated by reducing benzoquinone produced by the HRP label. Semi-log plots of the pathogen DNA concentration vs. faradaic current are linear from 150 pM to 1 mu M and pM concentrations can be detected without the need for molecular, e.g., PCR or NASBA, amplification. The nanocomposite also exhibits excellent selectivity and single base mismatches in a 30 mer sequence can be detected. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.