A SYRINGE COMPRISING AN ADHERING SUBSTRATE FOR MICROBES

Abstract: The invention relates to a syringe, preferably an injector syringe, the syringe comprising a cylindrical receiver (1') and inside its plunger means (2') comprising a plunger (3') and a rod (4'). In order for the syringe to simplify taking and handling microbiological sweep samples, the syringe is characterized in that the surface facing away from the plunger (3') rod (4') comprises an adhering substrate (6') for microbes. The adhering substrate (6') is preferably arranged to a member (7'), detachably attachable to the plunger (3').

Description: A SYRINGE COMPRISING AN ADHERING SUBSTRATE FOR MICROBES, The invention relates to a syringe, preferably an injector syringe, the syringe comprising a cylin- drical receiver and inside it plunger means comprising a plunger and a rod. Collecting microbiological sweep samples is an important part of hygiene control in industrial estab¬ lishments, hospitals, laboratories and other places where the hygiene of the premises, apparatuses and equipment is an absolute operational prerequisite. Sweep samples may also be collected from e.g. human skin or mucous membranes for clinical diagnostics. Samples may alternatively be taken by picking. In further processing of microbiological samples, a sample may be taken, e.g. from a culture substrate, such as a Petri dish, of microbial colonies by picking a col¬ ony into proper sampling means, such as a cotton swab. Usually a microbiological sweep sample or a picked sample is suspended from sampling means into a buffer solution or any other appropriate solution, where it may be further examined and handled. In this case a usual method for acquiring additional information on possible microbes adhered to the sampling means is so- called subculture. This is usually accomplished by transferring the microbial suspension to be examined to a liquid culture substrate or to a solid culture sub¬ strate (e.g. a Petri dish). Thereafter the microbes in the culture substrate are incubated for at least some hours, but usually for one or more days, even weeks. In some situations rapid completion of a micro¬ biological analysis is crucially important e.g. for the success of a patient's treatment, in choosing cleansing measures in hygiene control, for industrial quality con- trol etc. Many factors have further increased the threat caused by microbes (hospital infections, new human and animal pathogens, previously unknown industrial micro¬ bial contaminants, environmental microbiological pollu¬ tion etc.). In order to be able to respond to these challenges adequately effectively, so-called rapid dia¬ gnostic methods are needed for indicating and identif¬ ying microbes. For effecting microbiological rapid tests, sev¬ eral methods have been developed based on e.g. genetic analysis or immunodiagnosis. The expression "rapid test" in its proper sense refers to a method not requiring a time-consuming culture of microbes for enriching them in a sample (pre-incubation). In many practical situ¬ ations rapid tests have to be used whereat the samples to be examined often have an extremely low content of microbial cells. The object of the present invention is to pro¬ vide an apparatus for taking microbiological sweep sam¬ ples, the apparatus allowing an extremely simple trans- fer of microbes into a suspending solution, from where the microbes may be gathered by filtration (enrichment without microbial culture) and further processed for an immunological determination in a manner described in Finnish Patent Application 924,834. The apparatus of the invention may also be used with methods where microbes are cultivated. By swinging the apparatus as a test tube, its contents may be treated, which is one manner of operating the apparatus of the invention. The above objects are achieved with the syringe of the invention, which is characterized in that the sur¬ face facing away from the plunger rod comprises an ad¬ hering substrate for microbes. The adhering substrate is preferably of cotton. It is also preferable that the adhering substrate is arranged onto means detachably at- tachable to the plunger, as such an adhering substrate is easily replaceable and the adhering surface may be arranged to suit different purposes of use. This de¬ creases work and working phases in sampling. It is also possible to suspend the sample in the same means where the sample is being transferred, which is preferable es¬ pecially when hazardous microbes are handled. The preferable embodiments of the invention are described in the attached claims 2 through 10. The invention is based on the realization that the plunger of a conventional manual syringe may be used as sampling means, wherefore the surface of the plunger is appropriately treated so as to make microbes adhere thereto, whereat the receiver of the syringe is used for performing suspending for detaching the microbes and the suspending solution may be transferred in the syringe to a desired destination. The main advantages of the syringe of the in¬ vention are that it considerably simplifies taking and handling microbiological sweep samples. In the following the invention will be de¬ scribed by way of working examples with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of a syringe of the invention disassembled, Figures 2 through 4 illustrate the use of the syringe of Figure 1, Figure 5 shows a second embodiment of a syringe of the invention disassembled, Figure 6 shows the plunger of an embodiment of the invention, Figure 7 shows an embodiment of a syringe of the invention disassembled, and Figure 8 shows the plunger of an embodiment of the invention. Figure 1 shows a manual injector-type syringe for taking microbiological sweep samples, comprising a conventional cylindrical receiver 1 and therein mount- able plunger means 2 comprising a plunger 3 and a rod 4. The surface facing away from the rod 4 of the plunger 3, i.e. the surface facing the tip 5 of the receiver 1, comprises a cotton layer 6. The cotton layer 6 functions by adhering microbes thereto. Instead of a cotton layer, the surface of the plunger 3 may be of velvet, porous, moistened paper or other corresponding material, whereto microbes easily adhere. Said materials form thus an ad¬ hering substrate for microbes. It is feasible that a roughened surface may alternatively be used as an ad¬ hering substrate, whereat the surface facing the tip 5 of the plunger 3 is thus roughened. Furthermore, said adhering substrate may be a surface treated with chem¬ icals to effect adhering. When the syringe of Figure 1 is used for taking microbiological sweep samples, the procedure is as shown in Figure 2. According to Figure 2, the plunger means 2 is brought into contact with a hand, from which a sample is desired to be taken. When sampling, the cotton layer 6 of the plunger means 2 is swept to and fro on the surface of the hand, whereat microbes adhere to the cotton layer. Thereafter the plunger means 2 is placed in an empty receiver 1 and the receiver is filled with suspending solution 7 by suction, see Figure 3. During suspending the microbial cells are detached from the cotton layer 6. If desired, the detachment may be in- tensified by pulling the sample to and fro several times between the syringe and the receiver. Thereafter the mi¬ crobes in the solution may be transferred e.g. to a fil¬ ter and thereafter treated for immunological analysis. The embodiment of Figure 5 differs from that of Figure 1 in that is comprises a disciform member 7' , detachably attached to a plunger 3' , said member com¬ prising an adhering substrate 6' . The surface of the member 7' preferably corresponds to the area of the plunger 3' . In order for the member to be attachable to and detachable from the plunger 3' , one of its surfaces is adhesive. Alternatively it may comprise sticker fast¬ ening means cooperating with the surface 8' of the plun¬ ger. The plunger shown in Figure 6 comprises cotton 6" as an adhering substrate. Figure 7 shows an embodiment of the invention, where an adhering substrate is arranged in a planar disciform member 7' ' ' , attachable by sticker means to a plunger 3' ' ' , whereat the plunger comprises a corres- ponding surface 8''', needed for sticker fastening. Figure 8 illustrates an embodiment of the in¬ vention, where the end of a plunger 3'''' comprises a projection 6' ' ' ' , functioning as an adhering substrate. Such a plunger 3"" may be used when samples are picked from microbial colonies. The projection 6' ' ' ' may be in the form of a loop, as in the Figure, and it may be of a flexible type. The projection 6'''' may be arranged to be relatively easily detachable from the surface of the plunger 3''' 1 , when desired. This may be accomp- lished by manufacturing the projection from an appropri¬ ate material and by arranging the fastening to the plun¬ ger to be of a certain fastness. It is also feasible that the projection is of a transparent material. Although the invention is described herein with reference to examples it will be appreciated that the details of the invention may be realized in a variety of ways within the scope of the inventive idea and the appended claims. Thus the detailed structure, shape and size of the syringe may vary. It is feasible that the syringe forms a structural part of a larger apparatus, designed for handling and analysing microbial samples.

Claims: Claims 1. A syringe, preferably an injector syringe, the syringe comprising a receiver (1, 1', 1' ' ' ) and in- side it plunger means (2, 2', 2''', 2'''') comprising a plunger (3, 3', 3"', 3"") and a rod (4, 4', 4'", 4''''), c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the surface facing away from the plunger (3, 3', 3''', 3'''') rod (4, 4', 4' ' ' , 4'''') comprises an adhering substrate (6, 6' , 6' ' , 6' ' ' , 6' ' " ) for microbes. 2. An injector syringe as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the adhering sub¬ strate is of cotton (6' ' ). 3. An injector syringe as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the adhering sub¬ strate is of velvet. 4. An injector syringe as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the adhering sub¬ strate is of porous paper. 5. An injector syringe as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the adhering sub¬ strate is a roughened surface. 6. An injector syringe as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the adhering sub- strate is a chemically treated surface whereto microbes adhere. 7. An injector syringe as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the adhering sub¬ strate (6' , 6' ' ' ) is arranged in a member (7' , 7' ' ' ), detachably attachable to the plunger (3' , 3' ' ' ). 8. An injector syringe as claimed in claim 7, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the member is a planar member (7') with an adhesive surface. 9. An injector syringe as claimed in claim 7, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the member is a planar member (7' ' ' ), attachable by sticker means to the plunger (4' ' ' ' ), and the plunger comprises a correspond¬ ing surface (8 , , ! ) required for sticker fastening. 10. An injector syringe as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the adhering sub¬ strate is arranged to the surface of the plunger (3' ' ' ' ) in the form of a projection (6' ' ' ' ).

Inventors: HAKALEHTO ELIAS, HAKALEHTO, ELIAS
Applicants: HAKALEHTO ELIAS, HAKALEHTO, ELIAS
Application year: 1995
Main classification: C12M1
IPC codes: C12M1, G01N1