Method and device of rapid antigen extraction

• US 20060160170A1
• Filed: 12/20/2005
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ABS Advanced Biomedical Systems S.r.l.
• Original Assignee: ABS Advanced Biomedical Systems S.r.l.
• Inventors: Giordano, Paolo
• Application Number:
  US11/312,167
• Publication Number:
  US 20060160170A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/34
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/047 Additional chamber, reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0683 mechanically breaking a wall or membrane within a channel or chamber
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502 with fluid transport, e.g. in multi-compartment structures centrifugal-type cuvettes G01N21/07; analysis by separation into components G01N30/00; automatic analysers G01N35/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50825 Closing or opening means, corks, bungs closures for containers B65D; means for removing stoppers B67B7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2333/295 from Chlamydiales (o)
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2333/315 from Streptococcus (G), e.g. Enterococci
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5304 Reaction vessels, e.g. agglutination plates for solid-phase systems G01N33/543

Abstract

A system and a method of the interaction and preservation of two or more reagents used in a chemical reaction is described, in which the reagents are put in contact one with another only when a wad (A) carrying a sample to be treated with said reagents breaks a partition barrier (4, 14) placed between two containers belonging to a device comprising a first upper container (2, 12) and a second lower container (3, 13) of a test tube (1), the bottom wall of the first container (2, 12) forming said partition barrier (4, 14) able to be perforated by the wad (A) carrying the sample to be treated.

Claims

1. A method for preserving two or more reagents used in a chemical reaction, comprising the following steps:

inserting a wad (A), through which a chemical substance sample to be examined has been taken, into a first container (2, 12) belonging to a test tube (1) and containing a first reagent (R₂), said wad (A) carrying said chemical substance sample being able to at least partially absorb said first reagent (R₂) within a predetermined time period;

exerting a pressure with said wad (A), after the at least partially absorption of said first reagent (R₂) by said wad (A) carrying said chemical substance sample, against the bottom wall (4, 14) of said first container (2, 12), causing said wad (A) to break said bottom wall (4, 14) and to pass through said bottom wall (4, 14);

bringing said wad (A), carrying said chemical substance sample and at least a part of said first reagent (R₂), in contact with at least a second reagent (R₃) contained into a second container (3, 13) belonging to said test tube (1), ensuring said first reagent (R₂) and said second reagent (R₃) are put in contact one with another and said chemical substance sample only when said wad (A) carrying said chemical substance sample to be examined is present; and

removing said wad (A) from said second container (3, 13) belonging to said test tube (1) after a predetermined time period and once the reaction between said first reagent (R₂), said second reagent (R₃) and said chemical substance sample is completed.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first reagent (R₂) and said second reagent (R₃) are poured in predetermined volumes into said first container (2, 12) and into said second container (3, 13) respectively during the manufacturing stage of said test tube (1).

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said wad (A) sequentially passes through said first reagent (R₂) and said second reagent (R₃).

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first reagent (R₂) and said second reagent (R₃) are able to form nitrous acid.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said second reagent (R₃) is in a solid state.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said wad (A) is transported through said bottom wall (4) by a rigid device (B) able to break said bottom wall (4).

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said chemical substance sample to be examined remains in said first reagent (R₂) for a predetermined time period before being transferred into said second reagent (R₃).

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said first reagent (R₂) and said second reagent (R₃) are a base and a neutralization solution respectively.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein said first reagent (R₂) and said second reagent (R₃) are an acid and a neutralization solution respectively.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the removal of said wad (A) from said second container (3) belonging to said test tube (1) involves removal of said first container (2) from said test tube (1).

11. A device for performing the method of preserving two or more reagents used in a chemical reaction according to claim 1, comprising at least a first inner container (2) able to be inserted into at least a second outer container (3) belonging to a test tube (1), said at least a first container (2) having a bottom wall (4) able to be perforated by said wad (A) carrying said chemical substance sample.

12. A device for performing the method of preserving two or more reagents used in a chemical reaction according to claim 1, comprising a test tube (1) inside which at least a first upper container (12) and at least a second lower container (13) are defined, said at least a first container (12) having a bottom wall (14) made of a solid paraffin layer able to be perforated by said wad (A) carrying said chemical substance sample.

13. The device according to claim 11, wherein said second container (3, 13) forms the main body of said test tube (1).

14. The device according to claim 11, wherein said first container (2) is configurated to form a cap for said second container (3).

15. The device according to claim 11, wherein said test tube (1) is sealed by thermal sealing with an aluminium sheet coupled with polyethylene.

16. The device according to claim 11, wherein said test tube (1) is sealed by thermal sealing with a paper sheet coupled with polyethylene.

17. The device according to claim 11, wherein said first container (2) and said second container (3) are manufactured with any kind of material compatible with said first reagent (R₂) and said second reagent (R₃) contained therein, and can have a proper shape and a sufficient volume to contain said sampling wad (A), said first reagent (R₂) and said second reagent (R₃).

18. The device according to claim 12, wherein said test tube (1) is manufactured with any kind of material compatible with said first reagent (R₂) and said second reagent (R₃) contained therein, and can have a proper shape and a sufficient volume to contain said sampling wad (A), said first reagent (R₂) and said second reagent (R₃).

19. Use of the method according to claim 4 for the extraction of saccharidic antigens from group A and group B streptococcus, taken with a wad (A) or with other sampling systems.

20. Use of the method according to claim 8 for the extraction of lipopolysaccharidic antigens from Chlamydia trachomatis, taken with a wad (A) or with other sampling systems.

21. Use of the method with the device of claim 11 for the extraction of saccharidic antigens from group A and group B streptococcus and lipopolysaccharidic antigens from Chlamydia trachomatis, taken with a wad (A) or with other sampling systems.

22. The device according to claim 12, wherein said second container (3,13) forms the main body of said test tube (1).

23. The device according to claim 12, wherein said test tube (1) is sealed by thermal sealing with an aluminium sheet coupled with polyethylene.

24. The device according to claim 12, wherein said test tube (1) is sealed by thermal sealing with a paper sheet coupled with polyethylene.

25. Use of the method according to claim 9 for the extraction of lipopolysaccharidic antigens from Chlamydia trachomatis, taken with a wad (A) or with other sampling systems.

26. Use of the method with the device of claim 12 for the extraction of saccharidic antigens from group A and group B streptococcus and lipopolysaccharidic antigens from Chlamydia trachomatis, taken with a wad (A) or with other sampling systems.