Resistant Microbe Detection via Fluorogenic Substrates

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-coating the sample carrier with multiple antibiotics and a fluorogenic substrate before sample application. This pre-preparation eliminates the need for time-consuming cultivation steps, as the detection reagents are already in place to immediately interact with any resistant pathogens present in the sample, enabling rapid detection within hours rather than days.

The patent replaces the mechanical/cultural system of pathogen cultivation with a chemical/direct detection system. Instead of relying on biological cultivation processes that require days of incubation, the method uses direct chemical interaction between antibiotics, fluorogenic substrates, and pathogen enzymes to produce immediate detectable signals, substituting a slow biological process with a faster chemical reaction-based detection.

The patent employs disposable sample carriers that are pre-coated with antibiotics and fluorogenic substrates. These single-use carriers eliminate the need for expensive, complex molecular biology equipment while achieving rapid detection. The disposable nature ensures consistency and eliminates the need for costly instrumentation, making the method suitable for routine screening without specialized laboratories.

The patent introduces fluorogenic substrates as intermediaries that bridge the gap between pathogen presence and detectable signal. These substrates remain inactive until contacted by specific pathogen enzymes, at which point they produce fluorescent signals that can be detected with simple equipment. This intermediary approach enables rapid detection without requiring complex molecular biological instrumentation.

The patent applies universality by designing a sample carrier that simultaneously performs multiple functions: it contains multiple antibiotics to detect various resistance patterns, includes fluorogenic substrates for signal generation, and provides a solid support for sample application. This multi-functional design allows a single test to screen for multiple resistant pathogens and resistance mechanisms, dramatically increasing screening throughput while maintaining identification accuracy.

The patent merges multiple detection functions into a single integrated sample carrier. Instead of requiring separate cultivation, isolation, and identification steps that reduce productivity, the method combines antibiotic susceptibility testing and pathogen detection into one unified assay, enabling high-throughput screening without sacrificing identification accuracy.

The patent uses preliminary action by pre-coating the sample carrier with a comprehensive panel of antibiotics and fluorogenic substrates before sample application. This pre-preparation ensures that all necessary detection reagents are in place to reliably identify resistant pathogens, while the rapid format (hours versus days) reduces transmission risk. The pre-coated design maintains reliability by ensuring consistent reagent quality and coverage.

The patent replaces slow but reliable cultivation methods with a faster chemical reaction-based system using fluorogenic substrates. This substitution maintains detection reliability through specific enzyme-substrate reactions that produce clear fluorescent signals only when resistant pathogens are present, while dramatically reducing the time window for pathogen transmission.