Composition, analytical element and method for the detection of bacteria

Claim 2

A composition for the detection of a bacterial microorganism, said composition comprising a metabolizable substrate and a benzindole dye selected from the group consisting of benz[cd]indole dyes, benz[e]indole dyes and benzy[g]indole dyes, provided said dye undergoes a detectable color change when incubated at 37° C. in admixture with an aqueous suspension of said bacterial microorganism.

Claim 3

The composition of claim 1 wherein said benzindole dye has a structural formula selected from the group consisting of: ##STR59## wherein: A is selected from the group consisting of: ##STR60## R, R 4 , R 5 and R 11 are independently hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, alkaryl, aralkyl or cycloalkyl; R 1 and R 2 are independently hydrogen or lower alkyl, or taken together complete a 5- to 6-membered carbocyclic ring; R 3 is aryl; R 6 and R 7 are independently hydrogen alkyl, cycloalkyl or aryl, or taken together complete a 4- to 20-membered heterocyclic group; R 8 , R 9 and R 10 are independently hydrogen, halo, alkyl, aryl, alkaryl, aralkyl or cycloalkyl; G is --OR 12 or ##STR61## R 12 is lower alkyl; L 1 and L 2 are independently hydrogen, or L 1 represents atoms taken with R 6 to complete a 5- or 6-membered ring or L 2 represents atoms taken with R 7 to complete a 5- or 6-membered ring; Ar is aryl; m and q are independently 0 or 1; n is 0, 1, 2 or 3; p is 1, 2 or 3, except when G is ##STR62## p is 2 or 3; t is 0, 1 or 2; s is 0, 1 or 2, except when n is 1, s is 1 or 2; Z represents the carbon, selenium, sulfur or nitrogen atoms needed to complete a heterocyclic group; Z 1 and Z 2 independently represent a single bond or the carbon, selenium, sulfur or nitrogen atoms needed to complete a heterocyclic group; and X - is a monovalent anion.

Claim 4

The composition of claim 2 wherein: ##STR63## R is hydrogen or lower alkyl; G is ##STR64## R 1 and R 2 are independently hydrogen or lower alkyl; R 4 and R 5 are independently hydrogen or alkyl; n is at least 1; and p is 2 or 3.

Claim 5

The composition of claim 2 wherein said benzindole dye is selected from the group consisting of: ##STR65## wherein X - is a monovalent anion.

Claim 6

The composition of claim 3 wherein said benzindole dye is ##STR66##

Claim 7

The composition of claim 2 wherein X - is p-toluenesulfonate, halide, acetate or perchlorate.

Claim 8

The composition of claim 1 wherein said benzindole dye is present in a concentration of up to about 10 -1 M.

Claim 9

The composition of claim 1 wherein said metabolizable substrate is a sugar, starch, salt of a carboxylic acid or glycol.

Claim 10

The composition of claim 8 wherein said metabolizable substrate is glucose.

Claim 11

An analytical element for detecting a bacterial microorganism, said element comprising an absorbent material containing a benzindole dye selected from the group consisting of benz[cd]indole dyes, benz[e]indole dyes and benzy[g]indole dyes, provided said dye undergoes a detectable color change when incubated at 37° C. in admixture with an aqueous suspension of said bacterial microorganism.

Claim 12

An analytical element for detecting a bacterial microorganism, said element comprising an absorbent material containing a benzindole dye selected from the group consisting of benz[cd]indole dyes, benz[e]indole dyes and benzy[g]indole dyes, provided said dye undergoes a detectable color change when incubated at 37° C. in admixture with an aqueous suspension of said bacterial microorganism.

Claim 13

The element of claim 10 wherein said benzindole dye has a structural formula selected from the group consisting of: ##STR67## wherein: A is selected from the group consisting of: ##STR68## R, R 4 , R 5 and R 11 are independently hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, alkaryl, aralkyl or cycloalkyl; R 1 and R 2 are independently hydrogen or lower alkyl, or taken together complete a 5- to 6-membered carbocyclic ring; R 3 is aryl; R 6 and R 7 are independently hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl or aryl, or taken together complete a 4- to 20-membered heterocyclic group; R 8 , R 9 and R 10 are independently hydrogen, halo, alkyl, aryl, alkaryl, aralkyl or cycloalkyl; G is --OR 12 or ##STR69## R 12 is lower alkyl; L 1 and L 2 are independently hydrogen, or L 1 represents atoms taken with R 6 to complete a 5- or 6-membered ring or L 2 represents atoms taken with R 7 to complete a 5- or 6-membered ring; Ar is aryl; m and q are independently 0 or 1; n is 0, 1, 2 or 3; p is 1, 2 or 3, except when G is ##STR70## p is 2 or 3; t is 0, 1 or 2; s is 0, 1 or 2, except when n is 1, s is 1 or 2; Z represents the carbon, selenium, sulfur or nitrogen atoms needed to complete a heterocyclic group; Z 1 and Z 2 independently represent a single bond or the carbon, selenium, sulfur or nitrogen atoms needed to complete a heterocyclic group; and X - is a monovalent anion.

Claim 14

The element of claim 10 comprising a spreading/reagent zone containing acid benzindole dye.

Claim 15

The element of claim 12 wherein said spreading/reagent zone comprises polymeric beads of poly(vinyltoluene-co-p-t-butylstyrene-co-methacrylic acid).

Claim 16

The element of claim 10 wherein said benzindole dye is present at a coverage of from about 10 -3 to about 1 g/m 2 .

Claim 17

The element of claim 10 comprising a metabolizable substrate.

Claim 18

An analytical element for detecting a bacterial microorganism, said element including a support having thereon and, in fluid contact, reagent and spreading zones, said reagent zone containing a benzindole dye selected from the group consisting of benz[cd]indole dyes, benz[e]indole dyes and benz[g]indole dyes, provided that said dye undergoes a detectable color change when incubated at 37° C. in admixture with an aqueous suspension of said bacterial microorganism.

Claim 19

An analytical element for detecting a bacterial microorganism, said element including a support having thereon and, in fluid contact, reagent and spreading zones, said reagent zone containing a benzindole dye selected from the group consisting of benz[cd]indole dyes, benz[e]indole dyes and benz[g]indole dyes, provided that said dye undergoes a detectable color change when incubated at 37° C. in admixture with an aqueous suspension of said bacterial microorganism.

Claim 20

The element of claim 16 wherein said reagent zone is a layer adjacent said support, and said spreading zone is a layer comprising polymeric beads of poly(vinyltoluene-co-p-t-butylstyrene-co-methacrylic acid).

Claim 23

The method of claim 18 wherein said benzindole dye has a structural formula selected from the group consisting of: ##STR71## wherein: A is selected from the group consisting of: ##STR72## R, R 4 , R 5 and R 11 are independently hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, alkaryl, aralkyl or cycloalkyl; R 1 and R 2 are independently hydrogen or lower alkyl, or taken together complete a 5- to 6-membered carbocyclic ring; R 3 is aryl; R 6 and R 7 are independently hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl or aryl, or taken together complete a 4- to 20-membered heterocyclic group; R 8 , R 9 and R 10 are independently hydrogen, halo, alkyl, aryl, alkaryl, aralkyl or cycloalkyl; G is --OR 12 or ##STR73## R 12 is lower alkyl; L 1 and L 2 are independently hydrogen, or L 1 represents atoms taken with R 6 to complete a 5- to 6-membered ring or L 2 represents atoms taken with R 7 to each complete a 5- or 6-membered ring; Ar is aryl; m and q are independently 0 or 1; n is 0, 1, 2 or 3; p is 1, 2 or 3 except when G is ##STR74## p is 2 or 3; t is 0, 1 or 2; s is 0, 1 or 2, except when n is 1, s is 1 or 2; Z represents the carbon, selenium, sulfur or nitrogen atoms needed to complete a heterocyclic group; Z 1 and Z 2 independently represent a single bond or the carbon, selenium, sulfur or nitrogen atoms needed to complete a heterocyclic group; and X - is a monovalent anion.

Claim 24

The method of claim 18 wherein: ##STR75## R is hydrogen or lower alkyl; G is ##STR76## R 1 and R 2 are independently hydrogen or lower alkyl; R 4 and R 5 are independently hydrogen or alkyl; p is 2 or 3; n is at least 1; and X - is p-toluenesulfonate, halide, acetate or perchlorate.

Claim 25

The method of claim 18 wherein said incubation occurs in the presence of a metabolizable substrate.

Claim 26

The method of claim 21 wherein said metabolizable substrate is glucose.

Claim 31

The method of claim 24 wherein said specimen sample is spotted onto said spreading/reagent zone.