Patent ID: 8883455

Claim:
A method for detecting the presence of a nucleic acid in a sample, the method comprising performing within a housing of a self-contained, stand-alone analyzer the automated steps of: a) contacting the sample with a solid support such that a complex comprising the nucleic acid and the solid support is formed, wherein the solid support comprises a magnetically-responsive particle, and wherein the complex is suspended in a fluid component of the sample; b) after step a), subjecting the sample containing the complex to a magnetic field; c) while the sample containing the complex is subjected to the magnetic field, aspirating at least a portion of the fluid component of the sample from the complex, thereby purifying the nucleic acid; d) forming a reaction mixture with a pipette of the analyzer, wherein the reaction mixture comprises the nucleic acid purified in step c) and all reagents required to perform a nucleic acid amplification; e) synthesizing amplification products in the reaction mixture, each of the amplification products comprising a nucleotide sequence contained in the nucleic acid or its complement; f) exposing an amplification product that is one of the amplification products synthesized in step e) to a probe, such that a hybrid comprising the probe and the amplification product is formed in a mixture containing the probe and the amplification products; and g) detecting the formation of the hybrid, wherein the formation of the hybrid in the mixture is an indication of the presence of the nucleic acid in the sample.