Diagnostic microbiological testing apparatus and method

• US 5,340,747 A
• Filed: 06/04/1993
• Issued: 08/23/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Difco Laboratories, Inc. (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Difco Laboratories, Inc. (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Eden, Gideon
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CRAWFORD, LESLIE
• Application Number:
  US08/072,346
• Time in Patent Office: 445 Days
• Field of Search: 435/29, 435/289, 435/291, 435/808, 435/809, 422/52, 422/58, 422/63, 422/64, 422/67, 422/82.08, 422/82.09, 436/46, 436/45, 436/172, 436/800, 436/807, 250/361 C, 250/461.2, 250/328, 356/417
• US Class Current: 436/172
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 41/46 of cellular or enzymatic activity or functionality, e.g. cell viability
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00118 for multiple tests
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00148 Test cards, e.g. Biomerieux or McDonnel multiwell test cards
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/253 for batch operation, i.e. multisample apparatus analytical automats G01N35/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6428 Measuring fluorescence of fluorescent products of reactions or of fluorochrome labelled reactive substances, e.g. measuring quenching effects, using measuring "optrodes" in vivo A61B5/00; immunoassay G01N33/53
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/0415 Carrusel, sequential
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 435/808 Optical sensing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 435/809 Incubators or racks or holders for culture plates or containers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/807 Apparatus included in process claim, e.g. physical support structures
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/111666 Utilizing a centrifuge or compartmented rotor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/112499 with sample on test slide

Abstract

A diagnostic microbiological testing apparatus and method includes at least one test tray including a plurality of reaction chambers, a light source disposed proximate to the test tray for directing light, at an excitation wavelength of a fluorescence emitting agent contained within the reaction chambers, at the test tray, a filter for passing therethrough only light generated by a fluorescence emitting reaction resulting from the interaction of the fluorescence emitting agent and a sample, and an imaging mechanism for detecting only the light generated by the fluorescence emitting reaction at the emission wavelength simultaneously from the plurality of reaction chambers.

Claims

1. A diagnostic microbiological testing apparatus for detecting the presence of fluorescence emitting reaction (FER) resulting from the interaction of fluorescence emitting agents (FEA) and a sample for susceptibility and identification testing, said apparatus consisting essentially of:

a test tray including a plurality of reaction chambers containing an FEA, which upon reaction with a predetermined microbe in a sample will emit light at a predetermined emission wavelength upon being illuminated by light at a predetermined excitation wavelength;

a narrow band light source disposed proximate to said plurality of reaction chambers of said test tray for directing light substantially at said excitation wavelength at said plurality of reaction chambers;

filter means for passing therethrough only light generated by the FER at the emission wavelength; and

a video means for detecting only the light generated by an FER at the emission wavelength simultaneously from all the said plurality of reaction chambers of said test tray and forming an image thereof, said filter means being disposed between said test tray and video means.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including a detection area, carousel means for containing a plurality of said test trays, indexing means for sequentially moving said carousel to selectively position each of said test trays proximate to said detection area, and positioning means for positioning one of said test trays proximate to said detection area into and out of said detection area.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including reaction media for reacting with a predetermined microbe to emit the light at said emission wavelength, said video means detecting the presence of the microbe by detecting said light at said emission wavelength.

4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said reaction chambers further include an antibiotic for susceptibility testing.

5. A method of detecting the presence of a fluorescence emitting reaction (FER) resulting from the interaction of fluorescence emitting agents (FEA) and a sample for susceptibility and identification testing, said method consisting essentially of the steps of:

containing an FEA in a plurality of reaction chambers of a test tray, the FEA upon reaction with a predetermined microbe in a sample emitting light at a predetermined emission wavelength upon being illuminated by light at a predetermined excitation wavelength;

directing a narrow band light substantially at the excitation wavelength at the plurality of reaction chambers of the test tray

passing through a filter only light generated by an FER at the emission wavelength simultaneously from the plurality of reaction chambers; and

video imaging only the passed through light generated by the FER at the emission wavelength simultaneously from all of the plurality of reaction chambers of the test tray.