US 2009/0156942 A1 · Resonance Energy Transfer Based Detection of Nosocomial Infection

Abstract

Disclosed herein are methods and devices for detection of hospital acquired infections. Disclosed methods may be utilized for continuous in vivo monitoring of a potential infection site or for periodic in vitro monitoring of tissue or fluid from a patient and may be utilized to alert patients and/or health care providers to the presence of a pathogen at an early stage of infection. Disclosed methods utilize fluorophore pairs that optically interact with one another according to Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) or bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) mechanism. One member of the pair or a cofactor that interacts with an enzyme to form a member of the pair may be tethered to a device by a substrate that is specific for an enzyme expressed by a targeted pathogen. Upon interaction of the enzyme with the substrate, an optically detectable signal may be altered or initiated, detection of which may then provide information as to the existence of the pathogen at the site.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A method for detecting the presence or amount of a pathogen that is a source of a hospital acquired infection comprising:

locating an optical fiber in an environment, the optical fiber having directly or indirectly attached thereto a first group of molecules at a site that is within the evanescent field of the core of the optical fiber, the first group of molecules including an acceptor molecule, one of the molecules of the group being attached to the optical fiber with a first tether, the first tether comprising a substrate for an enzyme that is expressed by the pathogen;
transmitting an excitation signal to the site via the optical fiber, the excitation signal comprising an excitation wavelength specific for a donor molecule;
cleaving the substrate by action of the enzyme that is expressed by the pathogen;
transmitting an optically detectable emission signal from the site following the step of cleaving the substrate by action of the enzyme;
and
determining the presence or amount of the pathogen in the environment.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Resonance Energy Transfer Based Detection of Nosocomial Infection

Life of this patent

Resonance Energy Transfer Based Detection of Nosocomial Infection

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims26