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-12275982-B2
Publication Date
2025-04-15
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 disclosure describes methods and systems for assessing a susceptibility of an infectious agent to an anti-infective by exposing an infectious agent to first and second solutions in first and second containers or vessels. Electrical characteristics of first and second sensing devices are monitored after exposure, and differences, or lack thereof, between the electrical characteristics are used to assess susceptibility. The approach includes introducing a fluid sample and introducing the first and second solutions, where at least one of the second container or vessel and the second solution comprises an anti-infective.
The disclosed approach compares a first electrical characteristic of a first sensing device with a second electrical characteristic of a second sensing device, wherein any differences between the first electrical characteristic and the second electrical characteristic, or lack thereof, are used to assess the susceptibility of the infectious agent to the anti-infective. In specific implementations, monitoring includes determining voltage change at a layer of the sensing device with respect to a reference electrode exposed to the solution, where the layer covers a working electrode.
A system implementation includes fluid delivery devices configured to introduce the fluid sample and the first and second solutions into respective containers or vessels, a first sensing device exposed to the first solution, and a second sensing device exposed to the second solution. A parameter analyzer compares the electrical characteristics, and the differences or lack thereof are used for susceptibility assessment. The disclosure further describes sensing and comparison features including voltage change measurements relative to reference electrodes and computing a difference attributed to differences in solution characteristics, and it includes example infectious agent types such as bacteria, fungus, virus, and prion.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims are clm-00001 and clm-00011. Each independent claim includes a core set of inventive features for assessing susceptibility by comparing electrical characteristics from first and second sensing devices, with the second solution comprising an anti-infective; the system claim adds fluid delivery devices and a parameter analyzer.
Two-solution susceptibility comparison using sensing devices
introducing a fluid sample to a first container or vessel and a second container or vessel; introducing a first solution to the first container or vessel; introducing a second solution to the second container or vessel, wherein at least one of the second container or vessel and the second solution comprises an anti-infective; monitoring a first electrical characteristic of a first sensing device exposed to the first solution; monitoring a second electrical characteristic of a second sensing device exposed to the second solution; and comparing the first electrical characteristic with 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.
System architecture for susceptibility assessment by comparing sensing device electrical characteristics
a fluid delivery device configured to introduce a fluid sample to a first container or vessel and a second container or vessel; the same fluid delivery device or another fluid delivery device configured to introduce a first solution to the first container or vessel comprising the infectious agent; the same fluid delivery device or another fluid delivery device configured to introduce a second solution to the second container or vessel comprising the infectious agent, wherein at least one of the second container or vessel and the second solution comprises an anti-infective; a first sensing device configured to be exposed to the first solution after the first solution is introduced to the first container or vessel; a second sensing device configured to be exposed to the second solution after the second solution is introduced to the second container or vessel; and a parameter analyzer configured to compare a first electrical characteristic of the first sensing device with a second electrical characteristic of the second sensing device, 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.
Across the independent claims, susceptibility is assessed by comparing electrical characteristics obtained from two sensing devices exposed to first and second solutions, with the second solution including an anti-infective. The method claim performs the comparison as part of the method, while the system claim specifies fluid delivery devices and a parameter analyzer to compare the electrical characteristics and use differences, or lack thereof, to assess susceptibility.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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