Pre-culturing Clinical Samples for Rapid Microorganism Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for diagnosing microbial infections, particularly sepsis, face delays due to the need for prolonged incubation periods in identifying microorganisms and determining antimicrobial susceptibility, leading to unnecessary use of broad-spectrum antibiotics and fueling antimicrobial resistance.
Innovation Solution
A method involving pre-culturing clinical samples during transport using a thermally insulated container to maintain a suitable temperature for microbial growth, allowing for rapid identification and susceptibility testing upon arrival, utilizing nucleic acid tests and antimicrobial susceptibility assays to determine the appropriate antimicrobial agents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional phenotypic and biochemical identification techniques are used, then microorganism identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing can be performed, but the process requires several days of prolonged incubation periods
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-warming the transport container to 37°C before sample collection, and maintaining this temperature during transport to enable microorganisms to begin growth immediately. This preliminary incubation during the transport phase reduces the subsequent incubation time required in the laboratory while maintaining identification accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the traditional single-phase incubation process into two phases: (1) preliminary incubation during transport in the pre-warmed container, and (2) continued incubation in the laboratory. This segmentation allows growth to start immediately upon sample collection, reducing the total diagnosis time while preserving identification precision.
2Reliability
If broad-spectrum antibiotics are administered initially to treat suspected sepsis, then patient survival can be improved, but unnecessary antibiotic use fuels antimicrobial resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by rapidly identifying the specific microorganism causing infection through enhanced growth during pre-warmed transport and subsequent laboratory analysis. This rapid feedback loop (reducing diagnosis time from several days to hours) enables clinicians to adjust antibiotic therapy based on actual pathogen identity, avoiding unnecessary broad-spectrum antibiotic use and reducing antimicrobial resistance pressure.
3Quantity of substance
If prolonged incubation is performed to allow microbial growth, then sufficient microorganisms can be obtained for testing, but the time required for diagnosis increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by creating optimal growth conditions (37°C temperature) during the transport phase before laboratory analysis. This preliminary warming enables microorganisms to begin replicating immediately, accumulating sufficient cell concentration during transport and reducing the subsequent incubation time required in the laboratory by several hours.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent ensures continuity of useful action by maintaining 37°C temperature throughout the entire transport duration, allowing microbial growth to proceed continuously without interruption. This continuous growth process accumulates sufficient microbial biomass for testing while minimizing the total time required, as growth occurs during transport rather than waiting separately in the laboratory.
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
This approach reduces the time required for diagnosis, minimizes the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, and helps control antimicrobial resistance by enabling quicker and more targeted treatment.
Implementation Method 1
a thermally insulated compartment of a sealable container... heating the clinical sample to a temperature suitable for pre-culturing of the sample, wherein the thermally insulated compartment and the heating are used to keep the clinical sample at the temperature suitable for pre-culturing during transport of the sample
Data Source
AI summary
A clinical sample testing system includes a portable apparatus for transport and incubation of a clinical sample in a culture vessel. The apparatus includes a sealable container having a thermally insulated compartment for receiving the vessel and a heater for heating the clinical sample to a temperature suitable for pre-culturing it. The system further includes a microorganism detection device which receives the vessel and cultures the clinical sample. The device includes a) a test aliquot extraction device for removing a test aliquot from the vessel and/or from a second culture vessel sampled therefrom, and a DNA testing device for separating DNA from the test aliquot and performing nucleic acid tests on the DNA to identify the microorganism and detecting genetic antimicrobial resistance markers therein and/or b) an antimicrobial susceptibility test device for performing an antimicrobial susceptibility test on the cultured clinical sample or portion thereof by monitoring microbial growth.