US 12,714,405 B2 · Device, system and method for collecting and eluting aerosol particles from human breaths for analysis

Abstract

A device, system and method for collecting and eluting aerosol particles contained in a breath sample of a human or animal for the purpose of sampling non-volatile respiratory pathogens present in the breath sample. In at least some embodiments, the present invention provides such a device, system and method to collect, preserve, concentrate and release pathogen-specific biomarkers from breath aerosols for the subsequent analysis with immunoassays and molecular assays for the clinical diagnosis of respiratory tract infections in humans. The sampling device comprises an aqueous solution dissolvable polymer membrane installed in a housing of the sampling device in the flow path of the breath aerosol that sorbs the aerosol particles. The sampling device further comprises an engagement means for releasably engaging an elution device to the housing for introducing an aqueous solution into the housing and for dissolving the polymer membrane upon contact with the aqueous solution.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A sampling device for the collection of aerosol particles contained in a breath sample of a human or animal for the purpose of sampling a non-volatile respiratory pathogen present in the breath sample, the sampling device comprising:

a housing having a flow inlet for the inflow of a breath sample into the housing and a flow outlet for the outflow of the breath sample out of the housing, the flow of the breath sample from the flow inlet to the flow outlet defining a flow path of the breath sample;
a polymer membrane arranged inside the housing, between the flow inlet and the flow outlet, and in the flow path of the breath sample, the polymer membrane configured to collect aerosol particles contained in the breath sample;
and
an engagement means configured for releasably engaging an elution device to the housing such that an aqueous solution introduced into the housing from the elution device elutes the aerosol particles from the polymer membrane upon contact with the aqueous solution;
wherein:
the engagement means is configured such that a laboratory tube is releasably connectable to the housing;
and
the laboratory tube contains the aqueous solution that is normally used in preparation for an assay selected from the group consisting of a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT), a PCR assay, an isothermal amplification assay, a DNA hybridization assay, a CRISPR-based assay, a sequencing assay, and an immunoassay.

5 more elements

A method for collecting, eluting, and detecting a non-volatile respiratory pathogen present in a breath sample of a human or animal, the method comprising:

a) creating a flow of a breath sample of a human or animal through a flow inlet of a sampling device;
b) sorbing of aerosol particles contained in the breath sample with a polymer membrane arranged inside the sampling device;
c) connecting the sampling device to an elution device that contains an aqueous solution;
d) eluting the polymer membrane by bringing the aqueous solution into contact with the polymer membrane;
and
e) detecting a pathogen in an assay of the eluate;
wherein:
the polymer membrane is configured to be stable during breath sample exposure, and
dissolution of the polymer membrane in the aqueous solution is triggered by a change in pH-value.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Device, system and method for collecting and eluting aerosol particles from human breaths for analysis

Life of this patent

Device, system and method for collecting and eluting aerosol particles from human breaths for analysis

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18