Patent ID: 7781159
Filing Date: 2010-08-24
Classification: C12Q

Abstract:
1. A method for detecting one or more microorganisms contained in a liquid sample, said method capable of detecting a single microorganism in the liquid sample, comprising: passing the liquid sample containing one or more microorganisms through a micro-channel plate in one direction from an upper surface of said micro-channel plate to a lower surface of said micro-channel plate, said micro-channel plate having formed therein a plurality of vertically elongated, parallel, micro-channels which are open at said upper surface and at said lower surface of said plate; passing the liquid sample through a filter, said filter having an upper surface and a lower surface and said upper surface of said filter being positioned adjacent to the lower surface of said micro-channel plate; trapping said one or more microorganisms inside one or more of said plurality of micro-channels on said upper surface of said filter; adding an artificial substrate to said microchannels of said microchannel plate from said upper surface of said micro-channel plate to said lower surface of said micro-channel plate; allowing said artificial substrate to react with an enzyme associated with said one or more microorganisms contained within one or more of said plurality of micro-channels; incubating said artificial substrate and one or more microorganisms; and producing in one or more of said plurality of micro-channels a colored or fluorescent dot to identify said one or more microorganisms therein.