Patent ID: 6509166
Filing Date: 2003-01-21
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
A method for visually detecting one or more live target microbial analyte(s) in a sample of a material which is suspected to contain the target microbial analyte(s), said method comprising:a) the step of providing a sample container; b) the step of providing a growth supporting medium in said sample container, said growth supporting medium being a medium which supports metabolic replication of the target analytes and restricts intra-medium migration of target microbial analyte colonies which form in said medium; and c) the step of providing one or more labeled analyte-specific material(s) (LASM(s)) which are homogeneously dispersed throughout said growth supporting medium, said LASM(s) being visually detectable and which migrate within said growth supporting medium toward target microbial analyte colonies which form in or on said growth supporting medium; d) the step of inoculating the material(s) being analyzed onto or into said growth supporting medium; and e) the step of visually inspecting the inoculated medium for the presence or absence of brightly labeled target analyte colonies.