Patent ID: 7691600

Claim:
A method for detecting and/or identifying bacteria present in a liquid or solid sample, wherein: a. the sample that may contain said bacteria is placed in a liquid culture medium, in a first container; b. a second container comprising at least one system for detecting said bacteria is provided separate from said first container; c. a means of transfer between the first container and the second container is provided, said means of transfer comprising at least a first opening in the first container and at least a second opening in the second container, such that the second container delimits a first volume of air between the second opening of the transfer means and the at least one system for detecting said bacteria and/or delimits a second volume of air between the first opening and the second opening; d. a temperature T1 is applied inside the second container; then e. a temperature T2 is applied inside the second container; f. the temperatures T1 and T2 are applied inside the second container at an exponential growth phase of the bacteria; g. the temperature T1 is higher than the temperature T2; h. the temperatures T1 and T2 are applied inside the second container such that a predetermined volume of culture medium with bacteria is transferred from the first container to the second container; i. the temperatures T1 and T2 are maintained such that the bacteria remain viable; and j. the presence or absence of bacteria is determined and/or the bacteria are identified with the at least one system for detecting said bacteria in said second container.