# US 9,040,308 B1 · Sample collection and analysis

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- Number: US 9,040,308 B1
- Document ID: US9040308B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 14/611,443
- Filed: 2015-02-02
- Published: 2015-06-18
- Granted: 2015-05-26
- Earliest claimed: 2013-03-11
- Assignees: IDEXX Laboratories, Inc.
- Applicants: IDEXX Laboratories, Inc.
- Inventors: Matthew Howard Myles
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9040308B1

## CPC

- G01N 33/56983: {Viruses}
- G01N 1/30: Staining; Impregnating {; Fixation; Dehydration; Multistep processes for preparing samples of tissue, cell or nucleic acid material and the like for analysis}
- G01N 33/569: for microorganisms, e.g. protozoa, bacteria, viruses
- G01N 33/56911: {Bacteria}
- G01N 33/5695: {Mycobacteria}
- G01N 2469/10: Detection of antigens from microorganism in sample from host
- Y10S 436/811: Test for named disease, body condition or organ function
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

Management of the health status of an animal colony using a plurality of blood collection cards and the analysis of dried blood from members of the colony that has been collected on the cards. Members of the colony may be removed from the colony as a result of the analysis.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of determining a presence or absence of an infectious disease in a population of rodents, the method comprising:
(a) receiving a plurality of blood collection cards from a user responsible for a population of rodents, wherein the blood collection cards have at least one spot of dried rodent blood;
(b) extracting the blood from the cards;
(c) conducting an immunoassay for analyzing the extracted blood for a presence or absence of at least one antibody for an infectious agent indicative of an infectious disease, thereby determining the presence or absence of the infectious disease in the rodent population; and
(d) reporting the results of the presence or absence of the infectious disease to the user.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the immunoassay comprises contacting the extracted blood with a fluorescently labeled binding partner for the antibody.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the immunoassay is a multiplex fluorescence immunoassay.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, where in the extracting comprises extracting the blood with a buffer comprising ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA).

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the immunoassay is a multiplex fluorescence immunoassay.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the members of the population of rodents are mice.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the members of the population of rodents are rats.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the blood collection cards each have at least one collection area having an absorbent material suitable for holding about 10-40 μL of whole blood.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the blood collection cards each have at least two collection areas.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the at least two collection areas are separated by a perforation that allows separation of the cards such that a single sample area is on each separated card.

### Claim 11 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the step of analyzing the extracted blood comprises analyzing for the presence or absence of seven or more diseases selected from the group consisting of:
a. MHV;
b. MVN (MMV);
c. NS1 (Generic Parvovirus);
d. MPV (MPV1-5);
e. MNV;
f. TMEV;
g. EDIM;
h. Sendai virus;
i. Mycoplasma pulmonis;
j. PVM;
k. REO3;
l. LCMV;
m. Ectromelia virus;
n. MAD1;
o. MAD2;
p. Polyoma virus;
q. Encephalitozoon cuniculi;
r. CARB;
s. Clostridium piliforme;
t. MCMV;
u. K virus;
v. Hantaan virus;
w. Lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus; and
x. MTV.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the step of analyzing the extracted blood comprises analyzing for the presence or absence of seven or more diseases selected from the group consisting of:
a. RCV;
b. NS1 (Generic Parvovirus);
c. RPV;
d. RMV;
e. KRV;
f. H-1;
g. RTV (Rat theilovirus);
h. Sendai virus;
i. PVM;
j. Mycoplasma pulmonis;
k. REO3;
l. LCMV;
m. CARB;
n. Hantaan virus;
o. Clostridim piliforme;
p. MAD1;
q. MAD2;
r. Encephalitozoom cuniculi; and
s. IDIR.

### Claim 13 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the members of the population of rodents are mice.

### Claim 14 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the blood on the cards was obtained from a facial vein.

### Claim 15 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the members of the population of rodents are rats.

### Claim 16 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the identity of the at least one of the rodent population and an individual member of the population is associated with each of the plurality of blood collection cards.

### Claim 17 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the blood collection cards each have at least one collection area having an absorbent material suitable for holding about 10-40 μL of whole blood.

### Claim 18 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the blood collection cards each have at least two collection areas.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein the at least two collection areas are separated by a perforation that allows separation of the cards such that a single sample area is on each separated card.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein the identity of at least one of the rodent population and an individual member of the population is associated with each sample area of each separated card.

### Claim 21 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the step of analyzing the extracted blood comprises analyzing for the presence or absence of seven or more diseases selected from the group consisting of:
a. MHV;
b. MVN (MMV);
c. NS1 (Generic Parvovirus);
d. MPV (MPV1-5);
e. MNV;
f. TMEV;
g. EDIM;
h. Sendai virus;
i. Mycoplasma pulmonis;
j. PVM;
k. REO3;
l. LCMV;
m. Ectromelia virus;
n. MAD1;
o. MAD2;
p. Polyoma virus;
q. Encephalitozoon cuniculi;
r. CARB;
s. Clostridium piliforme;
t. MCMV;
u. K virus;
v. Hantaan virus;
w. Lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus; and
x. MTV.

### Claim 22 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the step of analyzing the extracted blood comprises analyzing for the presence or absence of seven or more diseases selected from the group consisting of:
a. RCV;
b. NS1 (Generic Parvovirus);
c. RPV;
d. RMV;
e. KRV;
f. H-1;
g. RTV (Rat theilovirus);
h. Sendai virus;
i. PVM;
j. Mycoplasma pulmonis;
k. REO3;
l. LCMV;
m. CARB;
n. Hantaan virus;
o. Clostridim piliforme;
p. MAD1;
q. MAD2;
r. Encephalitozoom cuniculi; and
s. IDIR.