Apparatus and method for the detection of microbial pathogens

Claim 1

An apparatus used for the isolation and concentration of microbial pathogens from a sample fluid comprising: a. an enclosed centrifugation receptacle having a first end and a second end and containing an evacuated space maintained at a lower than atmospheric pressure adjacent a sterile aqueous solution of a material which is non-toxic to said microbial pathogens and has a greater density than the sample fluid but able to selectively receive microbial pathogens from said sample fluid and also containing a minor effective amount of a thermally sensitive gelling agent; b. first injectable closure means sealably closing said first end of said elongated centrifugation receptacle; c. second injectable closure means sealably closing the second end of said elongated centrifugation receptacle; d. a sealed end chamber in alignment with said second injectable closure means on said second end of said elongated centrifugation receptacle and containing a sample treating fluid sealed therewithin; and e. injection needle means positioned within said sealed end chamber for passing said fluid from said end chamber through said second injectable closure means and into said evacuated space.

Claim 2

An apparatus used for the isolation and concentration of microbial pathogens from a sample fluid comprising: a. an enclosed centrifugation receptacle having a first end and a second end and containing an evacuated space maintained at a lower than atmospheric pressure adjacent a sterile aqueous solution of a material which is non-toxic to said microbial pathogens and has a greater density than the sample fluid but able to selectively receive microbial pathogens from said sample fluid and also containing a minor effective amount of a thermally sensitive gelling agent; b. first injectable closure means sealably closing said first end of said elongated centrifugation receptacle; c. second injectable closure means sealably closing the second end of said elongated centrifugation receptacle; d. a sealed end chamber in alignment with said second injectable closure means on said second end of said elongated centrifugation receptacle and containing a sample treating fluid sealed therewithin; and e. injection needle means positioned within said sealed end chamber for passing said fluid from said end chamber through said second injectable closure means and into said evacuated space.

Claim 16

A METHOD OF DETECTING MICROBIAL PATHOGEN IN A BODY FLUID COMPRISING: A. PROVIDING AN AQUEOUS FILTER SOLUTION BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND INJECTABLE ZONES WITHIN A CENTRIFUGATION TUBE, SAID AQUEOUS FILTER SOLUTION CONTAINING A THERMALLY SENSITIVE GELLING AGENT AND BEING AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF MATERIAL WHICH IS NON-TOXIC TO SAID SAMPLE FLUID BUT ABLE TO SELEC0009 GREATER DENSITY THAN SAID SAMPLE FLUID BUT ABLE TO SELECTIVELY RECEIVE MICROBIAL PATHOGENS FROM SAID SAMPLE FLUID; B. POSTING SAID CONTRIFUGATION TUBE SUCH THAT SAID AQUEOUS FILTER SOLUTION RESTS ON SAID FIRST INJECTABLE ZONE AND THEREAFTER COOLING SAID CENTRIFUGATION TUBE TO CAUSE SAID THERMALLY SENSITIVE GELLING AGENT TO SOLIDIFY SAID AQUEOUS FILTER SOLUTION; C. DEPOSITING A TREATMENT FLUID FOR SAID BODY FLUID UPON SAID SOLIDIFIED AQUEOUS FILTER SOLUTION BY PASSING AN INJECTION NEEDLE THROUGH SAID SECOND INJECTABLE ZONE AND THEREAFTER INJECTING SAID SAMPLE TREATMENT FLUID INTO SAID CENTRIFUGATION TUBE AND UPON SAID SOLIDIFIED AQUEOUS FILTER SOLUTION; D. DEPOSITING A SAMPLE OF SAID BODY FLUID UPON SAID SOLIDIFIED AQUEOUS FILTER SOLUTION AND ADMIXING SAID BODY FLUID WITH SAID TREATMENT FLUID BY PASSING A HYPODERMIC NEEDLE THROUGH SAID FIRST INJECTABLE ZONE AND THROUGH SAID SOLIDIFIED AQUEOUS FILTER SOLUTION AND THEREAFTER INJECTING SAID BODY FLUID THROUGH SAID HYPODERMIC NEEDLE INTO SAID CENTRIFUGATION TUBE; E. HEATING SAID CENTRIFUGATION TUBE SUFFICIENTLY TO LIQUEFY SAID THERMALLY SENSITIVE GELLING AGENT AND THEREBY LIQUEFY AN AQUEOUS FILTER SOLUTION; F. SUBJECTING SAID CENTRIFUGATION TUBE TO CENTRIFUGATION IN A MANNER TO FORCE SAID SAMPLE OF BODY FLUID AGAINST SAID AQUEOUS FILTER SOLUTION AND CAUSE SAID MICROBIAL PATHOGENS TO SELECTIVELY PASS THEREIN AND THEREBY SEPARATE FROM THE RESIDUAL MASS OF SAID BODY FLUID SAMPLE AND SAID TREATING FLUID; AND G. SEPARATING SAID AQUEOUS FILTER SOLUTION CONTAINING SAID MICROBIAL PATHOGEN FROM SAID RESIDUAL MASS OF SAID BODY FLUID.

Claim 17

A METHOD OF DETECTING MICROBIAL PATHOGEN IN A BODY FLUID COMPRISING: A. PROVIDING AN AQUEOUS FILTER SOLUTION BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND INJECTABLE ZONES WITHIN A CENTRIFUGATION TUBE, SAID AQUEOUS FILTER SOLUTION CONTAINING A THERMALLY SENSITIVE GELLING AGENT AND BEING AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF MATERIAL WHICH IS NON-TOXIC TO SAID SAMPLE FLUID BUT ABLE TO SELEC0009 GREATER DENSITY THAN SAID SAMPLE FLUID BUT ABLE TO SELECTIVELY RECEIVE MICROBIAL PATHOGENS FROM SAID SAMPLE FLUID; B. POSTING SAID CONTRIFUGATION TUBE SUCH THAT SAID AQUEOUS FILTER SOLUTION RESTS ON SAID FIRST INJECTABLE ZONE AND THEREAFTER COOLING SAID CENTRIFUGATION TUBE TO CAUSE SAID THERMALLY SENSITIVE GELLING AGENT TO SOLIDIFY SAID AQUEOUS FILTER SOLUTION; C. DEPOSITING A TREATMENT FLUID FOR SAID BODY FLUID UPON SAID SOLIDIFIED AQUEOUS FILTER SOLUTION BY PASSING AN INJECTION NEEDLE THROUGH SAID SECOND INJECTABLE ZONE AND THEREAFTER INJECTING SAID SAMPLE TREATMENT FLUID INTO SAID CENTRIFUGATION TUBE AND UPON SAID SOLIDIFIED AQUEOUS FILTER SOLUTION; D. DEPOSITING A SAMPLE OF SAID BODY FLUID UPON SAID SOLIDIFIED AQUEOUS FILTER SOLUTION AND ADMIXING SAID BODY FLUID WITH SAID TREATMENT FLUID BY PASSING A HYPODERMIC NEEDLE THROUGH SAID FIRST INJECTABLE ZONE AND THROUGH SAID SOLIDIFIED AQUEOUS FILTER SOLUTION AND THEREAFTER INJECTING SAID BODY FLUID THROUGH SAID HYPODERMIC NEEDLE INTO SAID CENTRIFUGATION TUBE; E. HEATING SAID CENTRIFUGATION TUBE SUFFICIENTLY TO LIQUEFY SAID THERMALLY SENSITIVE GELLING AGENT AND THEREBY LIQUEFY AN AQUEOUS FILTER SOLUTION; F. SUBJECTING SAID CENTRIFUGATION TUBE TO CENTRIFUGATION IN A MANNER TO FORCE SAID SAMPLE OF BODY FLUID AGAINST SAID AQUEOUS FILTER SOLUTION AND CAUSE SAID MICROBIAL PATHOGENS TO SELECTIVELY PASS THEREIN AND THEREBY SEPARATE FROM THE RESIDUAL MASS OF SAID BODY FLUID SAMPLE AND SAID TREATING FLUID; AND G. SEPARATING SAID AQUEOUS FILTER SOLUTION CONTAINING SAID MICROBIAL PATHOGEN FROM SAID RESIDUAL MASS OF SAID BODY FLUID.