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US 5,418,167 AGranted
Rapid read-out biological indicator
AssigneeMinnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
InventorsRichard R. Matner, William E. Foltz, Lewis P. Woodson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A rapid method of determining the efficacy of a sterilization cycle, and an indicator adapted to perform such method, comprising subjecting to the sterilization cycle a source of active enzyme having activity which correlates with the viability of a microorganism commonly used to monitor sterilization, and incubating the enzyme source, following the completion of the sterilization cycle, with an effective amount of a substrate system capable of reacting with any residual active enzyme to produce a detectable enzyme-modified product.
Claims11
A sterility indicator comprising
- a) an outer container having liquid impermeable and substantially non-gas absorptive walls, said outer container having at least one opening therein;
- b) a gas-transmissive, bacteria-impermeable means covering said opening;
- c) contained within said outer container, a source of active enzyme in a detectable concentration, said active enzyme having sufficient activity following a sterilization cycle which is sublethal to at least one test microorganism commonly used to monitor sterilization, to react with an effective amount of a substrate system for said active enzyme to produce a detectable enzyme-modified product within less than twenty-four hours, yet said active enzyme having activity which is reduced to background following a sterilization cycle which is lethal to said at least one test microorganism;
- and
- d) also contained within said outer container, an effective amount of a substrate system capable of reacting in aqueous solution with said active enzyme to produce a detectable enzyme-modified product.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.