Patent ID: 7901899

Claim:
A method of classifying a bacterium in a test sample, the method comprising the steps of: (a) combining the test sample, which contains a standardized amount of the bacterium, with a hemocyte preparation to produce a mixture; (b) measuring either (i) an optical property of the mixture at a preselected time or (ii) a time in which a preselected change occurs in an optical property of the mixture, wherein the optical property is selected from the group consisting of absorbance, transmittance, optical density, and turbidity; and (c) comparing the optical property of step (b)(i) or the time value of step (b)(ii) with a first standard value indicative of the presence of Gram negative bacteria and a second standard value indicative of the presence of Gram positive bacteria thereby to determine whether the bacterium is a Gram negative bacterium or a Gram positive bacterium.