Effective monitoring system for anthrax smallpox, or other pathogens

• US 20030153021A1
• Filed: 12/06/2002
• Published: 08/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arbor Vita Corporation
• Original Assignee: Arbor Vita Corporation
• Inventors: Lu, Peter S., Byerly, Joseph, Sherlock, Thomas M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,312,071 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/7.32
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/32 Frangible parts
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 41/36 of biomass, e.g. colony counters or by turbidity measurements electrooptical investigation of individual particles G01N15/14, flow cytometers G01N15/1404
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/04 Determining presence or kind of microorganism; Use of selective media for testing antibiotics or bacteriocides; Compositions containing a chemical indicator therefor C12Q1/6897 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/021 Correlating sampling sites with geographical information, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/028 Sampling from a surface, swabbing, vaporising
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2333/32 from Bacillus (G)
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/56911 Bacteria
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/30 Against vector-borne diseases, e.g. mosquito-borne, fly-borne, tick-borne or waterborne diseases whose impact is exacerbated by climate change
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 435/808 Optical sensing apparatus

Abstract

A device and method for detecting anthrax or other pathogens are disclosed. Individual self-contained monitoring devices of a monitoring system can be portable or stationary (e.g. installed in air ducts or plumbing of buildings) and can be part of a network of devices. Monitoring devices may be used for the detection of a variety of airborne or surface pathogens, including but not limited to anthrax, smallpox, and Salmonella. Bioamplification-coupled proteomics assays provide rapid and reliable detection of pathogens, with self-checking capabilities reducing or eliminating false positives and false negatives. Sample preservation capability allows pathogen samples to be preserved after detection for further testing. The device of the invention can be remotely operated by minimally trained technicians or security personnel. The pathogen monitoring device of the invention provides a more compact, accurate, rapid, and cost-effective alternative to other anthrax detectors, and an effective weapon against bioterrorism.

Claims

1. A sealable cartridge for detecting elements of microorganisms, comprising:

(i) a sample chamber, wherein a test sample is suspended in fluid;

(ii) a test chamber, wherein the fluid is tested for elements of a microorganism; and

(iii) a breakable seal between the sample and test chambers.

2. The sealable cartridge of claim 1, further comprising a detection means.

3. The sealable cartridge of claim 1, further comprising a transmission means.

4. The sealable cartridge of claim 1, further comprising an assay analyzer.

5. The sealable cartridge of claim 1, wherein the microorganism is Bacillus anthracis.

6. A microbial monitoring system for detecting microorganisms, comprising:

an intake or receptacle through which a fluid or gas enters said microbial monitoring system or is added to said microbial monitoring system;

a means for drawing or pushing said fluid or gas into said microbial monitoring system and through a conduit connectively communicating with said intake;

a filtering means within said conduit through which said fluid or gas passes and retains microorganisms present in said fluid or gas;

a medium reservoir for a growth medium on a side of said filtering means opposite from said intake or receptacle, wherein said growth medium passes through said filtering means and removes said microrganisms from said filtering means.

7. The microbial monitoring system of claim 6, further comprising a detection means.

8. The microbial monitoring system of claim 6, further comprising a transmission means.

9. The microbial monitoring system of claim 6, further comprising an assay analyzer.

22. The microbial monitoring system according to claim 6, wherein said plunger means comprises a bladed or pointed edge for releasing said growth medium.

23. The microbial monitoring system according to claim 6, wherein said programmable temperature-regulating means elevates said temperature of said microbial monitoring system to shock bacterial endospores and initiate endospore germination.

25. A method for detecting microbial pathogens in an air or fluid specimen, comprising:

passing an air or gas specimen or a specimen derived from a swab through the microbial monitoring system according to claim 6;

retaining microorganisms within said air or fluid specimen on a filtering means within said microbial monitoring system;

incubating said microorganisms with a growth medium in said microbial monitoring system at temperature that promotes growth of at least one target microorganism; and

determining presence or absence of said at least one target microorganism with a detection means within said microbial monitoring system;

where

determination of the absence of said at least one target microorganism initiates a subsequent round of incubation and determining.

26. A kit for detecting microbial pathogens, comprising:

at least one disposable cartridge for use in the microbial monitoring system according to claim 6;

and

a sterile container for retaining said at least one disposable cartridge.

10. A microbial monitoring system for detecting microorganisms, comprising:

an intake or receptacle through which a fluid or gas enters said microbial monitoring system or is added to said microbial monitoring system;

a means for drawing or pushing said fluid or gas into said microbial monitoring system and through a conduit connectively communicating with said intake;

a filtering means within said conduit through which said fluid or gas passes and retains microorganisms present in said fluid or gas;

an exhaust chamber, wherein said filtering means is interposed between said intake and said exhaust chamber;

a medium reservoir on a side of said filtering means opposite said retained microorganisms, comprising a microbial growth medium and a reservoir breakable seal;

a plunger means, wherein pressure placed on said plunger means;

(i) engages a hermetic seal between said medium reservoir said filtering means;

(ii) breaks said reservoir breakable seal and forces growth medium through said filtering means in a direction opposite of flow of said fluid or gas; and

(iii) backwashes said microorganisms from said filtering means and suspends said microorganisms in said growth medium;

an incubation chamber for incubating and growing said microorganisms;

a programmable temperature-regulating means for controlling the temperature of said incubation chamber;

an incubation chamber breakable seal through which said growth medium passes into a test chamber for detecting said microorganisms;

a timer for controlling intervals between assay measurements;

a detection means within said test chamber;

wherein

said detection means determines the presence or absence of said microorganisms without killing said microorganisms or inhibiting said growing; and

a transmission means;

wherein

said presence or absence of said microorganisms is reported via said transmission means to an assay analyzer.

11. The microbial monitoring system according to claims 6 or 10, wherein said transmission means is a wire connection, a radio link, a microwave transmission, an infrared transmission, a cellular phone, or a computer network.

12. The microbial monitoring system according to claims 6 or 10, wherein said microbial monitoring system comprises a network of separate monitoring devices.

13. The microbial monitoring system according to claim 10, wherein said assay analyzer is remote from said microbial monitoring system and said reporting relays location of a microbial monitoring device to said assay analyzer.

14. The microbial monitoring system according to claim 13, wherein said location is determined by a global positioning system.

15. The microbial monitoring system according to claims 6 or 10, wherein said detection means is selected from the group consisting of an enzyme immunoassay, an optical immunoassay, mass spectroscopy, and gene sequence analysis.

16. The microbial monitoring system according to claim 15, wherein said enzyme immunoassay comprises an immunoassay strip that wicks said growth medium past a detection area and a control area on said detection strip.

17. The method according to claims 6 or 10, wherein said microorganisms are selected from the group consisting of Bacillus anthracis, Yersinia pestis, Neiserria menigitidis, Coxiella burnettii, Coccidiodes immitis, Francisella tularensis, Cryptococcosis neofomans, Escherichia coli, Haemophilus influenzae, Brucella species, Salmonella species, Shigella species, Chlamydia psittaci, Vibrio cholerae, Staphylococcus enterotoxin B, Histoplasma capsulatum, Rickettsia species, Corynebacterium diphtheriae, Burkholderia pseudomallei, Burkholderia mallei, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Blastomyces dermatitidis, Nocarida and smallpox species.

18. The microbial monitoring system according to claims 6 or 10, wherein said microbial monitoring system comprises an optical sensor for determining assay results.

19. The microbial monitoring system according to claims 6 or 10, wherein said microbial monitoring system comprises a variable timer that determines the frequency of detection assays.

20. The microbial monitoring system according to claims 6 or 10, wherein said microbial monitoring system comprises a detection unit comprising a disposable cartridge.

21. The microbial monitoring system according to claim 20, wherein said disposable cartridge is moved in automated fashion into place for incubation and assay determination, said detecting is conducted automatically, and said disposable cartridge is automatically removed to a waste chamber after said detecting.

24. A microbial monitoring system for detecting microorganisms, comprising:

a network of microbial monitoring devices reporting to a remote assay analyzer, wherein each of said microbial monitoring devices comprises at least one disposable cartridges comprising;

an intake or receptacle through which a fluid or gas enters said microbial monitoring system or a swab is deposited within said microbial monitoring system in a fluid;

a means for drawing or pushing said fluid or gas into said microbial monitoring system and through a conduit connectively communicating with said intake or receptacle;

a semipermeable membrane within said conduit through which said fluid or gas passes and which retains microorganisms present in said fluid or gas;

an exhaust chamber, wherein said semipermeable membrane is interposed between said intake and said exhaust chamber;

a medium reservoir containing microbial growth medium on the side of said semipermeable membrane opposite said retained microorganisms;

a plunger means comprising a bladed or pointed edge for releasing said growth medium;

wherein depressing said plunger means;

(i) engages a hermetic seal between said medium reservoir said semipermeable membrane;

(ii) forces growth medium through said semipermeable membrane in a direction opposite of flow of said fluid or gas; and

(iii) backwashes said microorganisms from said semipermeable membrane and suspends said microorganisms in said growth medium;

a breakable seal through which said growth medium passes into a test chamber for incubating and growing said microorganisms;

a timer for determining intervals between immunoassay measurements;

a temperature-regulating means that maintains said test chamber at a temperature that promotes growth of at least one target microorganism.

an immunoassay test strip within said test chamber;

wherein

said immunoassay strip wicks said growth medium past a detection area on said detection strip, said detection area comprises an indicator assay region and a control assay region; and

said immunoassay test strip determines the presence or absence of said at least one target microorganism;

wherein

said presence or absence of said at least one target microorganism is reported with location of said microbial monitoring device to said remote assay analyzer.