Detection device for detecting biological microparticles such as bacteria, viruses, spores, pollen or biological toxins, and detection method

摘要

A device for the detection of micro particles that can be marked by probes or antibodies capable of being detected by radiation has a filter, a supply system, and a detection system. Fluid to be examined is passed over a filter to filter out the micro particles and to perform the marking steps by supplying corresponding marking substances to the filter.

主权项

1. A detection method to detect biological micro particles in a sample, comprising:
providing a fluid containing the biological micro particles at a positive pressure into a detection chamber on a first side of a filter enclosed in the detection chamber and applying a negative pressure to the detection chamber on a second side of the filter, opposite to the first side, to draw the fluid through the filter such that the filter retains the biological micro particles adhering to the first side of the filter; providing a chemical fluid into the detection chamber by operating a first valve to selectively connect one of a plurality of sources of chemicals to an outlet connection to supply to the outlet connection the chemical fluid from one of the sources, operating first and second pumps, each with a different pumping capacity, to provide the chemical fluid from the outlet connection to a valve inlet, and operating a second valve to provide the chemical fluid from the valve inlet at a positive pressure into the detection chamber on the first side of the filter, and applying a negative pressure to the detection chamber on the second side of the filter to draw the chemical fluid through the filter to chemically mark the biological micro particles adhering to the first side of the filter by specific probes configured to be detected by radiation while the filter remains enclosed in the detection chamber and to discharge the chemical fluid that has passed through the filter out of a discharge system; performing a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on the biological micro particles adhering to the first side of the filter that have been marked by the specific probes; emitting excitation light into the detection chamber to irradiate the probes with the excitation light to excite the probes to produce emitted light while the biological micro particles adhere to the filter that remains enclosed in the detection chamber; detecting the emitted light while the filter remains enclosed in the detection chamber to detect the radiation present in the emitted light that correlates to the probes; and detecting the presence of the biological micro particles in the sample while the filter remains enclosed in the detection chamber based on the emitted light.