I am looking for some methodology that decrease the time of microbiological analysis. Today we expend 48 hours to know if a sample is contaminated by bacteria and almost a week to know if a sample is contaminated by fungi. I am looking for something that could indicate this contamination in hours or, if possible, minutes.
Do you know some methodology or device that could make this happens?
Thank you so much.
Lilian
If you are looking for general microbial growth (i.e. any type of contaminants) there are a number of companies selling products for rapid diagnostics. See for example Rapid Micro Systems.
If you are looking for a specific contaminant or strain, then you could probably devise some phage based luminescence assay or a real time PCR assay and monitor increase in signal over short time.
Thank you Michael. I will look a little bit closer to the suggestions.
Hi
You can chose between two scopes, based culture methods with alternative detections systems (i.e Bioloumix ) or use a vPCR approach.
best regards
I think you use qPCR and dye based approach to detect the contamination. But anyway in few hours its very hard to find, because average generation time of bacteria will be around 20 mins. Probably you can detect after 6-8 hrs to molecular and biochemical approach.
You have full available suggestions and advices cited by colleagues in above (molecular as qPCR, DGGE ..etc) and dye staining methods. The flow cytometry can also be a very rapid and so sensitive for your aim. Take care
Hi Lilian,
If the growth medium is not very well buffered, then look for pH changes.
Although I don't quite understand the question, determination of microbial growth in a 'sample' (assuming that its not aalready a growing culture or some other biological sample) can be rapidly (and semi-quantitatively) determined by ATP analysis (Phil Geis' comment). There are a range of luminometric systems and kits available for ATP analysis, the assay is very fast (30 sec), uses low sample volumes (as little as a few uL) and reasonably accurate and reproducible..
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