Patent ID: 8349277

Claim:
A test module for concentrating pathogens in a biological sample, the test module comprising: an outer casing with a receptacle for receiving the sample; a dialysis device in fluid communication with the receptacle and configured to separate the pathogens from other constituents in the sample, wherein the dialysis device has a first channel for receiving the biological sample, a second channel, and a plurality of apertures, the second channel being fluidically connected to the first channel via the apertures such that the pathogens flow from the first channel to the second channel and larger constituents in the biological sample remain in the first channel, the dialysis device also has a series of adjacent channels extending between the first channel and the second channel wherein the apertures are at an upstream end of the adjacent channels, each of the adjacent channels being configured to in a meniscus of the sample that arrests capillary flow between the first channel and the second channel and, a bypass channel between the first channel and the second channel, the bypass channel joining the second channel upstream of the adjacent channels and is configured for uninterrupted capillary driven flow from the first channel to the second channel, wherein during use, flow from the bypass channel reaches the meniscus pinned at each of the adjacent channels after the meniscus has formed such that the flow sequentially removes each of the menisci and sample flow from the first channel to the second channel is via the adjacent channels as well as the bypass channel; and a lab-on-a-chip (LOC) device being in fluid communication with the dialysis device and configured to analyze the pathogens.