Patent ID: 6391577
Filing Date: 2002-05-21
Classification: C12Q

Abstract:
A method of rapidly assessing susceptibility of a microorganism to a drug selected from the group consisting of an antibiotic and a cytotoxic compound, said method comprising the steps of:obtaining a test sample of a microorganism; arresting growth of the microorganism in the test sample; adding a mediator to a test sample of said microorganism in the presence of said drug; said mediator being reducible by accepting an electron arising from respiration of the microorganism; determining variation of the respiration rate of the microorganism over time by electrochemical measurement of mediator reduction in the test sample resulting from microorganism respiration, said variation of the respiration rate being observable over a time period of up to 500 seconds; and comparing variation of the respiration rate of the test sample with variation of the respiration rate in a control sample of the microorganism not exposed to said drug, thereby assessing susceptibility of the microorganism to the drug.