Patent ID: 9103788
Filing Date: 2015-08-11
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A method of detecting one or more target bacteria in a test sample comprising: incubating the test sample in a bacterial culture medium that permits growth of bacteria present in the test sample; contacting the bacterial culture medium containing the test sample with a photosensitizing agent; exposing the bacterial culture medium containing the test sample to infra-red light, visible light, or UV light, under conditions sufficient for the photosensitizing agent to photobleach contaminating or autofluorescing non-bacterial particulates present in the sample; separating the bacteria from the bacterial culture medium containing the test sample, thereby generating an isolated bacterial sample; contacting the isolated bacterial sample with a specific binding agent specific for the one or more target bacteria, under conditions sufficient for the specific binding agent to bind to the one or more target bacteria, wherein the specific binding agent is directly or indirectly labeled; permitting detection of the labeled specific binding agent bound to the one or more target bacteria; and designating the test sample as containing the one or more target bacteria when the labeled specific binding agent bound to the one or more target bacteria is detected.