Coupled enzyme-based method for electronic monitoring of biological indicator
First Claim
1. A sterilization indicator system, comprising:
- a vial comprising;
a first compartment comprising spores of one or more species of microorganism;
a second compartment comprising a growth medium comprising one or more of a disaccharide, an oligosaccharide or a polysaccharide capable of conversion to a monosaccharide by germinating cells of the one or more species of microorganism, andwherein the vial is free of the monosaccharide and is adapted to combine contents of the first compartment with contents of the second compartment for incubation after the vial has been exposed to a sterilant;
an enzyme, capable of acting upon the monosaccharide and producing an electron transfer, disposed on two or more electrodes adapted to carry an electrical signal resulting from the electron transfer when the enzyme acts upon the monosaccharide, wherein the pair of electrodes are positioned to contact the combined contents of the first compartment and the second compartment during and/or after incubation; and
an apparatus linked or linkable to the electrodes and adapted to detect and measure the electrical signal resulting from the electron transfer when the enzyme acts upon the monosaccharide.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sterilization indicator system and method of using the system to determine efficacy of a sterilization process. The system includes a vial having a first compartment containing spores of one or more species of microorganism; a second compartment containing a growth medium with a disaccharide, an oligosaccharide or a polysaccharide in which the vial is free of monosaccharide; an enzyme, capable of acting upon the monosaccharide to yield reaction products and electron transfer, disposed on two or more electrodes adapted to carry an electrical signal resulting from the electron transfer, the pair of electrodes positioned to contact the combined contents of the first compartment and the second compartment during incubation; and an apparatus linked or linkable to the electrodes and adapted to detect and measure the electrical signal resulting from electron transfer when the enzyme acts upon the monosaccharide.
84 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A sterilization indicator system, comprising:
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a vial comprising; a first compartment comprising spores of one or more species of microorganism; a second compartment comprising a growth medium comprising one or more of a disaccharide, an oligosaccharide or a polysaccharide capable of conversion to a monosaccharide by germinating cells of the one or more species of microorganism, and wherein the vial is free of the monosaccharide and is adapted to combine contents of the first compartment with contents of the second compartment for incubation after the vial has been exposed to a sterilant; an enzyme, capable of acting upon the monosaccharide and producing an electron transfer, disposed on two or more electrodes adapted to carry an electrical signal resulting from the electron transfer when the enzyme acts upon the monosaccharide, wherein the pair of electrodes are positioned to contact the combined contents of the first compartment and the second compartment during and/or after incubation; and an apparatus linked or linkable to the electrodes and adapted to detect and measure the electrical signal resulting from the electron transfer when the enzyme acts upon the monosaccharide. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification