Contamination detection systems, kits, and techniques are described for testing surfaces for the presence of hazardous contaminants, while minimizing user exposure to these contaminants. Even trace amounts of contaminants can be detected. A collection kit provides a swab that is simple to use, easy to hold and grip, allows the user to swab large areas of a surface, and keeps the user's hands away from the surface being tested. The kit also provides open and closed fluid transfer mechanism to transfer the collected fluid to a detection device while minimizing user exposure to hazardous contaminants in the collected fluid. Contamination detection kits can rapidly collect and detect hazardous drugs, including trace amounts of antineoplastic agents, in healthcare settings at the site of contamination.

Disclosed is a microorganism inoculation device, which comprises a workbench, wherein support columns are provided on the upper surface of the workbench, a limiting plate is provided in the middle part of the supporting column, an injection head is provided in the middle part of the limiting plate, an air cylinder is provided in the middle part of the lower surface of the workbench, a piston rod of the air cylinder is fixedly connected with the middle part of the upper surface of a lifting plate, guide rods are provided on the upper surface of the lifting plate, the upper end of the guide rod is fixedly connected with a tray, the left and right sides of the upper surface of the tray are fixedly connected with the lower part of a fixed bracket, the middle part of the injection head is slidably connected with the limiting plate.

The present invention relates to a method of sampling biological material on a reference surface, such as the surface of an agar medium, with the aid of a sampling tool, said method making it possible to steer the displacement of the sampling tool towards the reference surface, from a first position towards a second position, and/or of the reference surface towards the sampling tool, from a first position towards a second position, said second position being a contact position in which the sampling tool and the reference surface are in contact, said method comprising the following steps: a) illuminating the sampling tool in said first position in order to make the sampling tool visible and to project an image of the sampling tool onto the reference surface, b) acquiring an image of both the sampling tool and its image projected onto the reference surface, c) processing the image obtained in step b) in order to determine if, on the processed image, the gap between the sampling tool and its projected image is equal to zero, d) if the gap between the sampling tool and its projected image is not equal to zero.

A method for transferring a filter membrane (130) bearing a retentate to a reagent pad (310), in which the membrane is mounted in a support frame (120) having a shoulder (121) and a skirt (122) projecting from the shoulder, the pad being mounted on a cassette (300) of complementary form to said skirt, the skirt being adapted to slide sealingly on the cassette until it comes into abutment formed by the shoulder, the method comprising the steps of sealingly engaging the skirt of the membrane support frame on the cassette, establishing a pressure difference between the cassette and the membrane support frame such that the membrane adopts the shape of a dome pointing towards the pad, while maintaining the pressure difference, applying a force on the frame so as to make the skirt slide on the cassette until contact is established between the end of the dome and the pad, maintaining a force on the frame so as to move it downward until it comes into abutment formed by the shoulder while maintaining the pressure difference.

Disclosed is a microorganism inoculation device, which comprises a workbench, wherein support columns are provided on the upper surface of the workbench, a limiting plate is provided in the middle part of the supporting column, an injection head is provided in the middle part of the limiting plate, an air cylinder is provided in the middle part of the lower surface of the workbench, a piston rod of the air cylinder is fixedly connected with the middle part of the upper surface of a lifting plate, guide rods are provided on the upper surface of the lifting plate, the upper end of the guide rod is fixedly connected with a tray, the left and right sides of the upper surface of the tray are fixedly connected with the lower part of a fixed bracket, the middle part of the injection head is slidably connected with the limiting plate.

A method for collecting biological specimens using a swab of the type consisting of a rod terminating in a tip covered with fiber with hydrophilic properties to allow absorption of said specimens, wherein said fiber covers said tip in the form of a layer deposited by flocking.

A fully integrated and disposable point-of-care device for detecting a target nucleic acid is provided. The device comprises: an extraction chamber adapted to receive a biological sample, wherein said extraction chamber comprises means to extract and lyse the sample to release nucleic acid; a first amplification chamber in communication with the extraction chamber, wherein said amplification chamber comprises means to trigger nucleic acid amplification of a target nucleic acid sequence to occur; and a detection chamber in communication with the amplification chamber, wherein said detection chamber comprises means to detectably label the target nucleic acid and means to detect a signal associated with labeled target nucleic acid, or a single chamber for amplification, detection and identification of multiple nucleic acid sequences.

A method for collecting biological specimens using a swab of the type consisting of a rod terminating in a tip covered with fiber with hydrophilic properties to allow absorption of said specimens, wherein said fiber covers said tip in the form of a layer deposited by flocking.

A method. The method includes providing a device, the device comprising: a body member comprising a self-supporting, waterproof substrate having upper and lower surfaces; and a layer of adhesive-coated on the upper surface of the substrate, the adhesive being non-inhibitory to the growth of microorganisms; and a cold-water-soluble powder adhered to the adhesive, the powder comprising: guar gum; one or more nutrients for growing microorganisms; and a cover sheet having an inner-facing surface and an outer-facing surface, the cover sheet adhered to at least a portion of the body member; incubating a sample in the device to form a gel; and counting colonies between 24 hours to 72 hours and/or determining if the gel surrounding a colony is degraded.

A device for differentially enumerating colonies of coliform and Escherichia coli microorganisms is provided. The device comprises a water-impermeable first sheet; a water-impermeable second sheet attached to the first sheet; a dry, rehydratable culture medium comprising a lactose-fermentation indicator system, a β-D-glucuronidase indicator system that comprises a plurality of compounds that enhance β-glucuronidase enzyme activity in E. coli, a redox indicator system and a first cold-water soluble gelling agent adhered to the first sheet, the culture medium disposed in a microbial growth zone; and a second cold-water-soluble gelling agent adhered to the second sheet. The microbial growth zone is disposed between the first sheet and the second sheet. Methods of using the device are also provided.