| 摘要 |
We describe a method of selectively testing a liquid sample for the presence of a specific living biological entity, the method comprising: preparing a plurality of culture vessels each for selective detection of the presence of a different living biological entity, wherein preparing a said culture vessel comprises: providing a culture vessel comprising a sealable chamber for receiving and culturing a liquid sample such that presence of said biological entity is detectable by detecting a change in pressure in a head space of said chamber; providing a selective growth medium in said culture vessel, wherein said selective growth medium is in a dry form and selectively facilitates growth of a specific living biological entity, and providing the culture vessel with an identifier to identity said specific biological entity; providing a test system comprising a device to receive said culture vessel and to detect said change in pressure in said head space of said chamber, the device further comprising a temperature control system, and a data processor to monitor said detected change in pressure, to control said temperature control system to regulate a temperature of a liquid sample in said culture vessel, and to signal detection of the presence of a biological entity in said culture vessel from said detected change in pressure; storing a plurality of entity—selective test protocols in a memory of said test system, wherein a said test protocol defines one or both of a temperature of incubation of said liquid sample in said culture vessel and a threshold change in pressure in said head space of said chamber for detection of the target entity, wherein said test protocols are respectively identified according to one of a plurality of specific biological entities for which they selectively facilitate growth; selecting, from said plurality of culture vessels, a culture vessel to selectively detect a target said specific biological entity; providing a test liquid sample to said chamber of said selected culture vessel; using the identifier on said elected culture vessel to select a corresponding test protocol for said target specific biological entity; and running said selected test protocol on said test system to incubate said test liquid sample according to said test protocol to determine whether said target specific biological entity is present within said test liquid sample; wherein said determination comprises selection dependent upon both said selective growth medium and said entity-selective test protocol. |
