Apparatus and method for detecting, quantifying and characterizing microorganisms
US6251624A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 11, 2000 |
| Grant date | Jun 26, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 11, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2035/0425
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and apparatus for performing microbial antibiotic susceptibility testing include disposable, multi-chambered susceptibility plates and an automated plate handler and image acquisition and processing instrument is described. The susceptibility plates are inoculated with a suitable microorganism such as bacteria, fungi, protozoa, algae or viruses and anti-microbial agent(s) are applied that the microorganism is exposed to at a variety of concentrations or a gradient of each anti-microbial agent. The plates are then placed in the instrument, which monitors and measures the growth or lack thereof of the microorganisms. This data is used to determine the susceptibility of the microorganism to the antibiotics. Such a system automates anti-microbial susceptibility testing using solid media and Carbo-Bauer standardized result reporting. The system provides a level of automation previously associated only with broth micro dilution testing, while retaining the advantages of the manual disk diffusion test.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.