Sample pooling assay

A method for detecting the presence of a nucleic acid in a pooled sample, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) adding lysis buffer to a pooled sample to create a solution pool, wherein the pooled sample comprises two or more non-diluted test samples, and wherein the lysis buffer is added in an amount proportional to the number of individual samples;
• (b) adding nucleic acid binding beads to the solution pool, wherein, when the pooled sample comprises up to about 100 test samples, the amount of nucleic acid binding beads added is the amount used to analyze a single, individual test sample and this amount increases proportionately for every additional 100 samples or fraction thereof in the pooled sample;
• (c) concentrating the nucleic acid binding beads in the solution pool;
• (d) separating the nucleic acid binding beads from the solution pool;
• (e) washing the nucleic acid binding beads;
• and
• (f) analyzing the nucleic acid binding beads to detect the presence or absence of a nucleic acid.