US4971900A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for the detection of biologically active agents
Assignee: Becton Dickinson and Co
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Filing: 1988-03-21
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Granted: 1990-11-20
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Expires: 2008-03-21
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus and method for the detection of the growth of microorganisms through infrared analysis of a sample of the gas produced by growth of the microorganism is descirbed. In the method, a sample of the headspace gas in a vial containing a growth medium which has been inoculated with a sample suspected of containing a microorganism is removed and transferred to a sample cell where infrared analysis is used to determine the presence of carbon dioxide, if any, produced by the growth of the microorganism.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph E. Ahnell
- 👤 H. Mark Perks
- 👤 Mark L. Sussman
- 👤 Gregory Tice
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 20:39
CPC Classifications
C; C12; C12Q; C12Q1/00; C12Q1/02; C12Q1/04; C12M; C12M41/00; C12M41/30; C12M41/34; C12M41/36; C12Q2304/00; C12Q2304/40; C12Q2304/46; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S435/00; Y10S435/807; Y10T; Y10T436/00; Y10T436/23; Y10T436/235
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
217 words
A method for detecting the presence of microorganisms in a sample of material to be analyzed comprising the steps of: (a) introducing a test sample into a sterile vial having culture medium and head space gas wherein the culture medium has a carbon source and the head space gas has a known initial CO 2 concentration; (b) incubating the vial at conditions conducive to metabolism of microorganisms; (c) introducing, into a test head for determining carbon dioxide content of gas therein, a culture gas having a CO 2 concentration substantially equal to the known initial CO 2 concentration of the head space gas; (d) determining the CO 2 concentration level of the culture gas with the test head, the test head having sensing and motive components for use in sampling the head space gas in the vial; (e) establishing a fluid communication path between the head space and the test head; (f) mixing the culture gas in the test head with the head space gas; (g) measuring in the test head the concentration of CO 2 in the mixture of culture gas and the head space gas; and (h) comparing the measured CO 2 concentration of the mixture with the CO 2 concentration of the culture gas determined in step (d) to detect the presence of microorganisms.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
217 words
A method for detecting the presence of microorganisms in a sample of material to be analyzed comprising the steps of: (a) introducing a test sample into a sterile vial having culture medium and head space gas wherein the culture medium has a carbon source and the head space gas has a known initial CO 2 concentration; (b) incubating the vial at conditions conducive to metabolism of microorganisms; (c) introducing, into a test head for determining carbon dioxide content of gas therein, a culture gas having a CO 2 concentration substantially equal to the known initial CO 2 concentration of the head space gas; (d) determining the CO 2 concentration level of the culture gas with the test head, the test head having sensing and motive components for use in sampling the head space gas in the vial; (e) establishing a fluid communication path between the head space and the test head; (f) mixing the culture gas in the test head with the head space gas; (g) measuring in the test head the concentration of CO 2 in the mixture of culture gas and the head space gas; and (h) comparing the measured CO 2 concentration of the mixture with the CO 2 concentration of the culture gas determined in step (d) to detect the presence of microorganisms.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 1, further characterized by the level of CO 2 concentration of a mixture of the culture gas with the test head space gas before said measuring step being within the range of between about 1 and 10 percent.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 2, further characterized by said level of CO 2 concentration of the mixture being within the range of between about 2 and 5 percent.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the sensing components of the test head have a measuring cell and said step of establishing the fluid communication path enables the measuring cell to measure the CO 2 concentration in the mixture.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 4, further characterized by flushing the fluid communication path with the culture gas before step (d).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 5, further characterized by providing the culture gas with a level of CO 2 concentration within the range of between about 1 and 10 percent.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1, further characterized by using whole blood as the sample to be tested.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1, further characterized by analyzing a plurality of culture vials in sequence.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-11-19 | 1994-05-21 | 1994-11-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-11-19 | 1998-05-21 | 1998-11-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-11-19 | 2002-05-21 | 2002-11-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |