Patent ID: 7923242

Claim:
A microorganism detection apparatus comprising: a detection target introduction portion, into which a sample and reagents are to be introduced, wherein said detection target introduction portion is disposable; a detector, for detecting optical characteristics of the reagent introduced into the detection target introduction portion, wherein said detector detects color tone of the reagent introduced into the detection target introduction portion; a light source; a sample holder, for holding the sample to be introduced into the detection target introduction portion; a culture solution holder, for holding a culture solution used to culture a microorganism; reagent holders, for holding the reagents to be introduced into the detection target introduction portion, wherein the presence/absence of microorganisms in the sample is determined in accordance with optical characteristics detected by the detector; a temperature controller, located near the detection target introduction portion, for controlling temperature at the detection target introduction portion; a waste liquid collection portion, provided for collecting waste liquid for the sample, the culture solution or the reagents discharged from the detection target introduction portion; and a pressurizing unit, for pressurizing the sample holder, the culture solution holder and the reagent holders, wherein: the detector detects a color tone or absorbance of the reagent, and the presence/absence of microorganisms in the sample is determined in accordance with the color tone or the absorbance of the reagent detected by the detector, the culture solution is introduced into the detection target introduction portion and is used to culture the microorganisms in the detection target introduction portion, the sample holder, the culture solution holder and the reagent holders are integrally formed, a holder mounting unit is provided that is detachable from said microorganism detection apparatus, the pressurizing unit includes a gas compression unit, the pressurizing unit feeds the sample in the sample holder, the culture solution in the culture solution holder and the reagents in the reagent holders directly to the detection target introduction portion, and the sample holder, the culture solution holder and the reagent holders have volumes of the sample, culture solution and reagents, respectively, so that when the pressurizing unit pressurizes each of the sample holder, the culture solution holder and the reagent holders, all of the sample, the culture solution and the reagents in the sample holder, the culture solution holder and the reagent holders, respectively, is expelled from each holder through a single pressurization.