Freshly obtained blood samples are deposited into a device that contains blood sample carriers, each of the carriers is designed to hold a fixed amount of blood and allow excess blood sample to flow through and be discarded. A desiccant within the blood sample carrier aids with the drying of the blood and the discarding of the excess sample blood. The device is stored/transported within a modified atmosphere package comprised of an impermeable sealable bag and an oxygen scavenger compound for removing oxygen from the bag.

A saliva sensing device for detecting oral health and/or overall health includes a chemically treated test strip biomarker targeted to identify bacteria in the saliva. A breathalyzer for detecting bacteria in the mouth of a user includes a housing, a sensor, and an analyzer. The sensor is coupled to the housing and extends outwardly therefrom for placing in the mouth of user and for collecting a saliva sample. The analyzer is for testing saliva that contacts the sensor.

Apparatus and methods are described for use with feces of a subject that are disposed within a toilet bowl, and an output device. One or more light sensors are configured to receive light from the toilet bowl, while the feces are disposed within the toilet bowl. A computer processor analyzes the received light, and, in response thereto, detects a currently-occurring inflammatory bowel disease episode, and/or a predicted upcoming inflammatory bowel disease episode. The computer processor generates an output on the output device, at least partially in response thereto. Other applications are also described.

A kit and a method are disclosed for collecting and preparing a biological sample for testing where the sample is to be mixed with a buffer prior to being tested.

Disclosed is an integrated device for faeces sampling and occult blood detection, which has functions of quantitative collection, dissolution, filtration, detection with immune test strips of the faecal sample, and is convenient to carry and operate, and the device does not leak any liquid during storage, transportation and detection. The device can accurately collect a constant sample with no pollution and leakage, and can quickly determine results of occult blood without the aid of other items. The device can detect faecal occult blood at any time and at any place, can help to overcome the problem of low rate of inspection due to the inconvenience of faeces submission and inspection, further promote the detection of faecal occult blood, and can improve the early diagnosis and screening rate of colorectal cancer of the population.

A sweat collection device includes a flexible body having a first, outwardly facing surface and a second, skin-facing surface, and a sweat collection channel formed in the body, the sweat collection channel having a first end defining a sweat inlet port, and a second end defining a sweat outlet port. The sweat inlet port and the sweat outlet port are configured to be closed and sealed such that the sweat collection device and the collected sweat therein may be stored and shipped.

Methods and apparatus are provided to facilitate the minimally invasive removal of tissue biopsies and to facilitate the direct approach to anesthetizing the chest wall, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. A pull-type cutting device 1 comprises two coaxially nested tubes, each extending from a proximal end 21 to a distal end 22. The first tube 61 defines a guide wire lumen 23 for slidingly receiving a guide wire. The second tube 63 extends over the first tube 60 and coupled thereto at the distal end 22 defining an expandable portion 13 adjacent the distal end 22. The second tube 63 defines an inflation lumen 25 extending from the shaft proximal end 21 to the expandable portion 13. The inflation lumen 25 communicates inflation fluid from the proximal end 21 to the expandable portion 13 so as to inflate and deploy the expandable portion 13. Disposed adjacent the shaft distal end 22 is a cutting head 10 comprising the expandable portion 13 having a cutting portion 11 distal from the shaft distal end 22.

A medical swab for medical diagnostic testing in provided herein. In particular, the medical swab may include a crumple zone configured to crumple, elastically deform, plastically deform, bend, flex, collapse, and/or give when an axial force and/or a radial force is applied to the medical swab. In some embodiments, a stem of the medical swab may retract into or extend from one or more bases. In some embodiments, the medical swab can include a telescoping mechanism configured to control retraction and/or extension of the stem. In some embodiments, the medical swab can include a color changing tip and/or a color changing stem.

A sampling interface may comprise an inlet port, an outlet port, and a sampling chamber between the inlet port and the outlet port. The apparatus may also comprise a sampling port and at least one split seal between the sampling port and the sampling chamber. The split seal may comprise a first sealing member and a second sealing member that converge to a sealing line. The apparatus may additionally include at least one fluid collection channel disposed interior to the split seal. A lateral flow strip for sampling fluid removed from a tissue site may comprise an acquisition surface and a migration medium fluidly coupled to the acquisition surface. At least one test medium may be fluidly coupled to the migration medium, and a liquid-impermeable cover may enclose the migration medium and the test medium. The acquisition surface is preferably not enclosed.