Patent ID: 7582473

Claim:
An apparatus for analyzing bacteria, comprising: an analyte sample preparing section configured for preparing an analyte sample by mixing an acidic solution with a specimen and staining bacteria in the resultant mixture with a reagent comprising a fluorescent dye; a scattered light detector configured for detecting scattered light from the bacteria; a fluorescent light detector configured for detecting fluorescent light from the bacteria; a storage section comprising a predetermined range of scattered light intensity and fluorescent light intensity indicative of non-fermentative bacteria; a light intensity obtainer configured for obtaining scattered light intensities of the bacteria based on the detected scattered light, and for obtaining fluorescent light intensities of the bacteria based on the detected fluorescent light; and a bacteria type determiner configured for determining non-fermentative bacterium when both the scattered light intensity and the fluorescent light intensity of the bacterium are within the predetermined range; wherein live fermentative bacteria in the specimen are differentiated from live non-fermentative bacteria in the specimen, wherein live fermentative bacteria decompose sugar to produce an acidic product, and wherein live non-fermentative bacteria are incapable of decomposing sugar.