초록 ▼

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 microorgan

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.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.]1. A method for performing a plurality of microbiological tests in any order or at the same time, and within the same instrument, comprising:a) performing microbiological detection and/or enumeration testing, wherein one or more test samples are added to respective detection plates,

[ We claim:] [1.]1. A method for performing a plurality of microbiological tests in any order or at the same time, and within the same instrument, comprising:a) performing microbiological detection and/or enumeration testing, wherein one or more test samples are added to respective detection plates, each of said plates is placed on or within a holder of the instrument and incubated in the instrument, and during and/or after incubation, each plate is imaged by an imaging device in the instrument in order to determine whether and/or how many microorganism colonies are present;b) performing susceptibility and/or identification testing of microorganisms, wherein if susceptibility testing is performed, one or more samples containing microorganisms are added to respective susceptibility plates before or after one or more antibiotics are added to the plate, each of said plates is placed on or within a holder of the instrument and incubated in the instrument, and each plate is imaged by an imaging device the same as or different as the imaging device of step (a) to determine whether and/or the extent of microorganism growth inhibition, and if identification testing is performed, one or more samples containing microorganisms are added to respective identification plates containing substrates for microorganisms, each of said plates is placed on or within a holder of the instrument and incubated in the instrument, and each plate is imaged by an imaging device the same as or different as the imaging devices in steps (a) and/or (b) to classify and/or identify the microorganism(s) on each plate.