System for spore detection
AssigneeVeritide Limited
InventorsLou Reinisch, Sivananthan Sarasanandarajah
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for detecting the presence of bacterial spores in a sample comprises non-destructively to the spores carrying out the steps of assessing the fluorescence of the sample, subjecting the sample to UV radiation, and reassessing the fluorescence of the sample to determine the presence of spores. An increase in fluorescence indicates the presence of spores.
Claims47
A method of detecting the presence of bacterial spores in a sample comprising non-destructively to the spores carrying out the steps of assessing the sample for fluorescence, subjecting the sample to UV radiation, and reassessing the sample for an increase in fluorescence relative to any fluorescence assessed in said first assessing step, the presence of fluorescence at said assessing step and an increase in fluorescence at said reassessing step being indicative of the presence of spores.
A method as claimed in 1 including spectrally resolving the fluorescence observed in the assessment and reassessment steps.
A method of detecting bacterial spores in a sample comprising the steps of providing a detector which comprises a UV source, a detection zone within which a sample may be placed or may pass, means for fluorescence analysis arranged to assess for the presence of spores by reference to an increase in fluorescence following one and then a subsequent exposure of the sample to a UV source without altering the structure of any spore, positioning the detector so that the sample is in the detection zone, analysing the spore content of the sample, wherein the step of analysis of the spore content includes assessing the sample for fluorescence, exposing the sample to UV radiation, and then reassessing the sample for an increase in fluorescence relative to any fluorescence assessed in said first assessing step, the presence of fluorescence at said assessing step and an increase in fluorescence at said reassessing step being indicative of the presence of spores.
A method of ascertaining whether a sample, due to its content of bacterial spores, presents a threat to a mammal comprising the steps of providing a detector which comprises UV source, a detection zone within which a sample may be placed or may pass, means for fluorescence analysis arranged to assess for the presence of spores by reference to a first assessment of the sample for fluorescence, exposure of the sample to the UV source, and a reassessment of the sample for an increase in fluorescence relative to any fluorescence assessed in said first assessing step, the presence of fluorescence at said first assessment step and an increase in fluorescence at said reassessment step being indicative of the presence of spores, all without altering the structure of any spore;
- setting the sensitivity of the detector at a predetermined threshold above which a threat would be considered to be present, positioning the detector so that the sample is in the detection zone, and reading or interpreting the output of the detector as either
- a) above the threshold and thus the sample presents a threat, or
- b) below the threshold and thus the sample does not present a threat.
A method of detecting the presence of bacterial spores in a sample comprising non-destructively to the spores carrying out the steps of assessing the sample for fluorescence, subjecting the sample to UV radiation, then reassessing the sample for fluorescence, and spectrally resolving fluorescence observed in the assessment and reassessment steps and analysing the fluorescence for an increase in fluorescence indicative of the presence of spores.
Apparatus for detecting bacterial spores in a sample comprising:
- a source or sources of UV radiation disposed for irradiating a sample and operable to irradiate the sample with UV radiation having a wavelength effective to cause fluorescence of the sample and subsequently with UV radiation having a wavelength effective to cause a photochemical change in the sample;
- a radiation detector disposed for receiving fluorescence radiation from the sample when irradiated by said source or sources of UV radiation and generating a fluorescence signal upon receiving said fluorescence radiation;
- and
- a computer apparatus operatively connected to said radiation detector or detectors and programmed to (a) record a first fluorescence signal from said radiation detector after the sample is first irradiated with UV radiation having a wavelength effective to cause fluorescence of the sample;
- (b) record a second fluorescence signal from said radiation detector after the sample is irradiated with UV radiation having a wavelength effective to cause a photochemical change in the sample and then re-irradiated with UV radiation having a wavelength effective to cause fluorescence of the sample;
- (c) compare said first and second fluorescence signals;
- and then (d) determine if there is any enhancement of the fluorescence of the sample to thereby detect the presence of bacterial spores in the sample non- destructively to the spores.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.