Fast detection of the presence of a target microbe in a liquid sample

摘要

A system is provided that includes a tray having a number of compartments for holding liquid samples and partitioning the liquid samples from one another. The liquid samples are prepared by adding an indicator configured to produce a characteristic change in light from the liquid samples when a target microbe metabolizes the indicator while the liquid samples are incubated. The system also includes a light sensor for sensing light from the liquid samples held in the tray while the plurality of liquid samples is incubated. The system further includes a processor coupled with the light sensor and configured to analyze the light from the liquid samples while the liquid samples are incubated to detect the characteristic change in light from one or more of the liquid samples if the target microbe is present in the liquid samples.

主权项

1. A system for detecting the presence of a target microbe comprising:
a tray configured to be received in an incubator for holding liquid samples during incubation, each of the liquid samples including an indicator configured to produce a characteristic change in light from the liquid sample when a target microbe metabolizes the indicator during incubation of the liquid sample, the tray including a plurality of compartments configured to partition the liquid samples one from another; a light sensor for individually sensing light from each of the liquid samples held separately in the plurality of compartments of the tray during incubation of the liquid samples, the light sensor configured to detect a characteristic of the light sensed from each of the separately held liquid samples; and a controller coupled with the light sensor, the controller configured to analyze the detected characteristic of the light sensed from each of the separately held liquid samples to detect occurrences of the characteristic change in light from respective ones of the separately held liquid samples as the separately held liquid samples are incubated, the controller furnishing an indication that presence of the target microbe is detected while the separately held liquid samples are being incubated when a detected number of occurrences of the characteristic change in light, corresponding to a number of separately held liquid samples, exceeds a threshold number of occurrences of the characteristic change in light from respective ones of a total number of separately held liquid samples, the threshold number of occurrences of the characteristic change in light from respective ones of the total number of separately held liquid samples corresponding to a concentration of the target microbe within the liquid samples that indicates presence of the target microbe, wherein the concentration of the target microbe within the separately held liquid samples is indicated by the occurrence of the characteristic change in light from a predetermined number of the separately held liquid samples following a predetermined incubation period, and wherein the threshold number of occurrences of the characteristic change in light from respective ones of the total number of separately held liquid samples is less than the predetermined number for an intermediate time period less than the predetermined incubation period, and wherein the controller furnishes an indication of the absence of the target microbe if the detected number of occurrences of the characteristic change in light from respective ones of the total number of separately held liquid samples does not exceed the threshold number of occurrences of the characteristic change in light from respective ones of the total number of separately held liquid samples within the intermediate time period.