Patent ID: 6329166
Filing Date: 2001-12-11
Classification: C12Q,Y10S

Abstract:
A composition for detecting the presence or absence of target microbes in an environmental or biological sample, said composition comprising medium lacking a gelling agent, said medium comprising:a) an effective amount of vitamin, amino acid, element and salt ingredients operable to allow viability and log phase reproduction of said target microbes in the presence of a nutrient-indicator and to aid the target microbes through lag phase and into log phase of growth in the sample and;b) an effective amount of a nutrient-indicator comprising a beta-galactosidase substrate and/or a beta-glucuronidase substrate which is provided in an amount sufficient to support log phase growth of said target microbes until a detectable characteristic signal is produced in said medium during said log phase growth; said nutrient-indicator being incapable of supporting continued logarithmic growth of any viable non-target microbes in said medium to produce a detectable characteristic signal; and said nutrient-indicator being operable to alter a detectable characteristic of said medium metabolized by the target microbes so as to detect the presence or absence of the target microbes in the sample, wherein said ingredients in (a), and said nutrient-indicator are chosen such that growth of non-target microbes does not interfere with growth of said target microbes.