Methods for detecting microorganisms by adding a fluorescent dye directly to the solid growth medium

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for detecting and/or enumerating a microorganism or a group of microorganisms of interest comprising a) contacting, in a container, a sample suspected of containing said microorganism or group of microorganisms with a solid growth medium containing nutrients to support growth of said microorganism or group of microorganisms and with at least one fluorescent dye; b) incubating said container under conditions and for a time sufficient to form microcolonies of said microorganism or group of microorganisms; and c) detecting and/or enumerating microcolonies emitting a fluorescent signal of said at least one fluorescent dye, thereby detecting, identifying and/or enumerating said microorganism or group of microorganisms contained in the sample.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.