The present invention provides, among other things, a master cartridge for effective storage and transportation of antimicrobials, the master cartridge comprising multiple reservoir units for placing a plurality of antimicrobials at high concentration from which multiple patient cartridges could be generated for testing a plurality of biological samples, and methods for using the same.

An improved system, method and interface for automated rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) is disclosed which includes, in one aspect, a carrier population station comprising a workstation having a graphic user interface (GUI). The GUI accepts information from a lab technologist, including information related to a scope of testing to be performed on a patient sample. The GUI controls intelligent assignment of patient samples to test panels in a manner that maximize utilization of the test carrier by grouping together samples of similar tests scopes and advantageously testing those samples using one multiplexed test panel. Customizing workflow in accordance with test scope to facilitate parallel processing of multiple samples advantageously reduces laboratory waste, decreases test latencies, increases AST system throughput and efficiency, and thus lowers the costs to the AST lab.

An improved system, method and interface for automated rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) is disclosed which includes, in one aspect, a carrier population station comprising a workstation having a graphic user interface (GUI). The GUI accepts information from a lab technologist, including information related to a scope of testing to be performed on a patient sample. The GUI controls intelligent assignment of patient samples to test panels in a manner that maximize utilization of the test carrier by grouping together samples of similar tests scopes and advantageously testing those samples using one multiplexed test panel. Customizing workflow in accordance with test scope to facilitate parallel processing of multiple samples advantageously reduces laboratory waste, decreases test latencies, increases AST system throughput and efficiency, and thus lowers the costs to the AST lab.

The present invention is concerned with an automated method for obtaining at least one discrete colony from microorganisms or cells comprised in a solution. This method includes a step where acoustic liquid transfer is employed. The present invention further relates to the use of an acoustic liquid transfer device for obtaining at least one discrete colony from micro organisms or cells comprised in a solution. The present invention also relates to an automated method for determining the presence and/or quantity of microorganisms or cells potentially comprised in a solution and to the use of an acoustic liquid transfer device for determining the presence and/or quantity of microorganisms or cells potentially comprised in a solution.

The present invention is concerned with an automated method for obtaining at least one discrete colony from microorganisms or cells comprised in a solution. This method includes a step where acoustic liquid transfer is employed. The present invention further relates to the use of an acoustic liquid transfer device for obtaining at least one discrete colony from micro organisms or cells comprised in a solution. The present invention also relates to an automated method for determining the presence and/or quantity of microorganisms or cells potentially comprised in a solution and to the use of an acoustic liquid transfer device for determining the presence and/or quantity of microorganisms or cells potentially comprised in a solution.

A device for acquisition of particles present in a sample includes a spatially coherent light source, an optical system, and an image sensor placed in the focal plane of the optical system. The image sensor is configured to capture an intensity image. A computational unit of the device is configured to construct a series of electromagnetic propagation matrices obtained for a plurality of defocusing offsets relative to a plane of focus of the optics. The computational unit is also configured to determine a first average focused electromagnetic matrix for the particles from the series of electromagnetic matrices, identifying at least one of the particles in the first electromagnetic matrix and storing the coordinates of said particle, and determining a second electromagnetic matrix at a distance of focus on a particle identified from the components of the series of electromagnetic matrices having the stored coordinates.

A device for acquisition of particles present in a sample includes a spatially coherent light source, an optical system, and an image sensor placed in the focal plane of the optical system. The image sensor is configured to capture an intensity image. A computational unit of the device is configured to construct a series of electromagnetic propagation matrices obtained for a plurality of defocusing offsets relative to a plane of focus of the optics. The computational unit is also configured to determine a first average focused electromagnetic matrix for the particles from the series of electromagnetic matrices, identifying at least one of the particles in the first electromagnetic matrix and storing the coordinates of said particle, and determining a second electromagnetic matrix at a distance of focus on a particle identified from the components of the series of electromagnetic matrices having the stored coordinates.

An imaging system and method provides automated microbial growth detection for antibiotic sensitivity testing. A processing system having an image sensor for capturing images of an inoculated culture plate having antibiotic disks disposed on the culture media captures images of the plate at separate times (e.g., first and second images). The system generates pixel characteristic data for pixels of the second image from a comparison of the first image and second image. The pixel characteristic data may be indicative of plate growth. The system may access growth modeling data concerning the antibiotic disk(s) and generate simulated image data with a growth model function. The growth model function uses the growth modeling data. The simulated image data simulates growth on the plate relative to the disk(s). The system compares the simulated image and the pixel characteristic data to identify pixel region(s) of the second image that differ from the simulated image.

An imaging system and method provides automated microbial growth detection for antibiotic sensitivity testing. A processing system having an image sensor for capturing images of an inoculated culture plate having antibiotic disks disposed on the culture media captures images of the plate at separate times (e.g., first and second images). The system generates pixel characteristic data for pixels of the second image from a comparison of the first image and second image. The pixel characteristic data may be indicative of plate growth. The system may access growth modeling data concerning the antibiotic disk(s) and generate simulated image data with a growth model function. The growth model function uses the growth modeling data. The simulated image data simulates growth on the plate relative to the disk(s). The system compares the simulated image and the pixel characteristic data to identify pixel region(s) of the second image that differ from the simulated image.

A method for detecting a presence or an absence of at least one zone of inhibition, the method including a step consisting in depositing a volume of the sample in liquid form along a deposition zone extending along an axis at the surface of the agar culture medium and a step consisting in depositing a determined amount of a chemical agent at the surface of the agar culture medium, the deposit defining a potential zone of inhibition, the axis of the zone of deposition of the sample intersecting the potential zone of inhibition.