Method and apparatus for identification of microorganisms using bacteriophage

Abstract

A sample is tested for the presence of bacteria, such as in an automatic blood culturing apparatus. If bacteria are determined to be present, a bacteriophage-based bacteria identification process is performed to identify the bacteria present. A plurality of bacteria detection processes, such as a blood culture test and Gram stain test may be carried out prior to the bacteria identification process. A bacteriophage-based antibiotic resistance test or antibiotic susceptibility test is also conducted on the sample.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates generally to the field of identifying living microorganisms, and more particularly to the use of bacteriophages to identify microorganisms. Background technique [0002] Standard microbiological assays for the identification of microorganisms rely on substrate-based tests for the presence of specific bacterial pathogens. See Robert H. Bordner, John A. Winter, and Pasquale Scarpino, Microbiological Method For Monitoring The Environment, EPA Report No. EPA-600 / 8-78-017, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45268, December 1978. These techniques are generally easy to perform, do not require expensive supplies or laboratory equipment, and offer high levels of selectivity. However, these methods are slower. Substrate-based tests are hindered by the need to first grow or culture a pure culture of the target organism, which may take several days. This time constraint severely limits the effectiveness of prov...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, the above-mentioned tests for bacteriophage identification often have significant problems, such as the need for sophisticated, complex, lengthy and / or expensive assays to detect bacteriophage or bacteriophage markers, difficulty in distinguishing daughter phage from parent phage, and difficulty in identifying specific microorganisms. Bacteriophage strains that have proven highly successful in

Thus, no commercially practical phage-based assay has been developed despite the promise of a shorter time-frame for microbial detection

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