Patent ID: 7312073
Filing Date: 2007-12-25
Classification: C12Q,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method for detecting and enumerating viable microorganisms in a sample, providing a reliable direct count of individual viable microorganisms contained in the sample, comprising: providing a smooth transparent porous material composed of sol-gel and containing a marker in pores thereof; separating the microorganisms from a sample to be analyzed and contacting the microorganisms with the smooth transparent porous material, thereby transferring the separated microorganisms to a surface of the smooth transparent porous sol-gel material; incubating the contacted microorganisms and smooth transparent porous marker containing sol-gel material for a time sufficient to update the marker from the pores, to promote uptake of the marker by viable microorganisms; irradiating the marker containing smooth transparent porous sol-gel material with an energy source to generate detectable signals emitted by the marker taken up by the viable microorganisms, and detecting the signals emitted and analyzing the signals to identify and enumerate the viable microorganisms.