Isotope Urea Detection of Active Tuberculosis in Sputum
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Solution Overview
Problem
The conventional culture method for detecting active tuberculosis, which takes 4 to 8 weeks, is inefficient for early diagnosis and poses a risk of tuberculosis transmission due to its prolonged time frame.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing urea (13C-urea or 14C-urea) composed of a carbon isotope to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis in sputum or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, involving pre-treatment with NaOH or N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NALC)—NaOH, followed by culture in a liquid medium and measurement of 13CO2 or 14CO2 production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the conventional culture method is used to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis, then the detection is accurate and reliable, but the detection time is prolonged to 4 to 8 weeks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the long culture process into distinct phases: initial culture period (up to 2 weeks), followed by isotope treatment and detection phase. This segmentation allows parallel processing of culture and preparation of detection reagents, reducing total detection time while maintaining accuracy through systematic phase management
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-treating sputum samples with NaOH or N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NALC)-NaOH before culturing. This pre-treatment step kills contaminating bacteria and prepares the sample for selective Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture, enabling faster and more accurate detection within the segmented time framework
2Reliability
If the conventional culture method is used, then live Mycobacterium tuberculosis can be confirmed, but isolation measures cannot be implemented timely due to long detection period
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces carbon isotopes (13C or 14C labeled urea) as an intermediary substance that Mycobacterium tuberculosis metabolizes to produce detectable 13CO2 or 14CO2. This intermediary enables rapid detection of live bacteria through metabolic activity measurement, confirming viability without requiring full culture completion, thus improving diagnosis speed while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/visual inspection method of reading culture plates after 4-8 weeks with a biochemical detection system using isotope-labeled urea and CO2 measurement. This substitution enables automated, rapid detection of bacterial metabolism, significantly improving productivity while maintaining the ability to confirm live bacteria
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables rapid detection of active tuberculosis within a few hours to a week with increased accuracy, facilitating early intervention and reducing transmission risks.
Implementation Method 1
treating a culture product cultured in the liquid medium with urea (13C-urea or 14C-urea) composed of a carbon isotope; and measuring 13CO2 or 14CO2 of the culture product
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which can replace the conventional culture method that takes a long time of four to eight weeks to detect active tuberculosis, and which is a method for detecting active Mycobacterium tuberculosis by using isotopes on a sample of a patient's sputum or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.