Patent ID: 6858440
Filing Date: 2005-02-22
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A method for the detection of pathogens in a sample, the sample contained in a housing, comprising: placing paramagnetic microspheres with immobilizing primary antibodies that bind with the pathogens in the housing; placing optical markers bound to secondary antibodies that bind with the pathogens in the housing; forming in the sample molecular complexes, each molecular complex comprising one of the pathogens bound to at least one of the primary antibodies and at least one of the secondary antibodies; focusing the molecular complexes in a field of view of a proximal end of a waveguide probe, the proximal end comprised of a first tube and a second tube and shaped to form a receiving aperture, the aperture having a magnet received therein; transmitting light through the proximal end and into the housing to generate a fluorescent signal from the molecular complexes; collecting the fluorescent signal; and detecting the fluorescent signal which corresponds to the presence of the pathogens in the sample.