INSTRUMENT AND SYSTEM FOR RAPID MICROORGANISM IDENTIFICATION AND ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT SUSCEPTIBILITY TESTING

摘要

A system for automated microorganism identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing comprising a reagent cartridge, a reagent stage, a cassette, a cassette, stage, a pipettor assembly, an optical detection system, and a controller is disclosed. The system is designed to dynamically adjust motor idle torque to control heat load and employs a fast focus process for determining the true focus position of an individual microorganism. The system also may quantify the relative abundance of viable microorganisms in a sample using dynamic dilution, and facilitate growth of microorganisms in customized media for rapid, accurate antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Automated quality control test components and methods of their use are also disclosed.

主权项

1. An automated antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) quality control (QC) component, comprising:
a frame including a plurality of wells; at least one clip attached to the frame; at least one microbial isolate in at least one of the plurality of wells; and a means of identifying the component as an AST QC test by an automated system.