Devices, systems and methods to detect viable infectious agents in a fluid sample and susceptibility of infectious agents to anti-infectives
Inventors
KNOPFMACHER, Oren S. • Herget, Meike • Laufer, Michael D. • Estabrook, August
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11021732-B2
Publication Date
2021-06-01
Expiration Date
Abstract
Various devices, systems and methods for detecting infectious agents or determining a susceptibility of an infectious agent to an anti-infective are described herein. One example method comprises introducing a fluid sample to a surface; exposing the surface to a solution; sampling the solution after exposing the solution to the surface; and detecting a change in an electrical characteristic of a sensing device exposed to the solution sampled corresponding to a presence of the infectious agent in the fluid sample.
Core Innovation
The document describes a system for assessing a susceptibility of an infectious agent to an anti-infective. The system uses a fluid delivery device to introduce a fluid sample to a first surface and a second surface, and to introduce a first solution to the first surface comprising the infectious agent and a second solution to the second surface comprising the infectious agent, wherein at least one of the second surface and the second solution comprises an anti-infective.
After the infectious-agent solutions are exposed to their respective surfaces, the system exposes a first sensing device to a sample of the first solution and monitors a first electrical characteristic of the first sensing device. The system also exposes a second sensing device to a sample of the second solution and monitors a second electrical characteristic of the second sensing device.
A parameter analyzer compares the first electrical characteristic, including a change in the first electrical characteristic, with the second electrical characteristic, including any changes in the second electrical characteristic, and uses differences between the electrical characteristics, or lack thereof, to assess susceptibility of the infectious agent to the anti-infective. The sensing devices include electrochemical cells and light-addressable potentiometric (LAP) sensors, with pH-sensitive electrochemical cells with external or on-chip reference electrodes, and LAP photocurrent sensing with modulated light and bias.
Claims Coverage
The independent claim identified contains three core inventive features. The claim centers on paired surfaces and anti-infective condition, dual sensing device monitoring of electrical characteristics from paired solutions, and parameter analyzer comparison of the monitored characteristics, including changes, to assess susceptibility.
Susceptibility assessment system with paired surfaces and anti-infective condition
A system of assessing a susceptibility of an infectious agent to an anti-infective, including a fluid delivery device configured to introduce a fluid sample to a first surface and a second surface, and to introduce a first solution to the first surface comprising the infectious agent and a second solution to the second surface comprising the infectious agent, wherein at least one of the second surface and the second solution comprises an anti-infective.
Dual sensing device monitoring of electrical characteristics from paired solutions
A first sensing device configured to be exposed to a sample of the first solution after the first solution is exposed to the first surface, wherein a first electrical characteristic of the first sensing device is monitored, and a second sensing device configured to be exposed to a sample of the second solution after the second solution is exposed to the second surface, wherein a second electrical characteristic of the second sensing device is monitored.
Parameter analyzer comparison of electrical characteristics (including changes) to assess susceptibility
A parameter analyzer configured to compare the first electrical characteristic, including a change in the first electrical characteristic, with the second electrical characteristic, including any changes in the second electrical characteristic, wherein any differences between the first electrical characteristic and the second electrical characteristic, or lack thereof, is used to assess the susceptibility of the infectious agent to the anti-infective.
The claim coverage relies on a comparative setup using an anti-infective condition, monitoring electrical characteristics from two sensing devices exposed to corresponding solutions, and using analyzer comparison of the monitored characteristics and their changes to assess susceptibility.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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