Methods for detecting and treating polymicrobial infections, wherein a mixed population of microbes (e.g., bacteria) are present in a patient sample and the microbes are not first isolated from the sample. For example, the present invention describes specific polymicrobial infections and methods of treating said infections, wherein a particular antibiotic or a group of antibiotics are selected based on the composition of the polymicrobial infections.

Methods for detecting and treating polymicrobial infections, wherein a mixed population of microbes (e.g., bacteria) are present in a patient sample and the microbes are not first isolated from the sample. For example, the present invention describes specific polymicrobial infections and methods of treating said infections, wherein a particular antibiotic or a group of antibiotics are selected based on the composition of the polymicrobial infections.

Methods for detecting and treating polymicrobial infections, wherein a mixed population of microbes (e.g., bacteria) are present in a patient sample and the microbes are not first isolated from the sample. For example, the present invention describes specific polymicrobial infections and methods of treating said infections, wherein a particular antibiotic or a group of antibiotics are selected based on the composition of the polymicrobial infections.

Methods for detecting and treating polymicrobial infections, wherein a mixed population of microbes (e.g., bacteria) are present in a patient sample and the microbes are not first isolated from the sample. For example, the present invention describes specific polymicrobial infections and methods of treating said infections, wherein a particular antibiotic or a group of antibiotics are selected based on the composition of the polymicrobial infections.

Methods for detecting and treating polymicrobial infections, wherein a mixed population of microbes (e.g., bacteria) are present in a patient sample and the microbes are not first isolated from the sample. For example, the present invention describes specific polymicrobial infections and methods of treating said infections, wherein a particular antibiotic or a group of antibiotics are selected based on the composition of the polymicrobial infections.

Methods for detecting and treating polymicrobial infections, wherein a mixed population of microbes (e.g., bacteria) are present in a patient sample and the microbes are not first isolated from the sample. For example, the present invention describes specific polymicrobial infections and methods of treating said infections, wherein a particular antibiotic or a group of antibiotics are selected based on the composition of the polymicrobial infections.

Methods for identifying and providing information about inhibiting growth of polymicrobial infections, including but not limited to providing statistics or information about the likelihood of success in inhibiting growth of a polymicrobial infection with particular compositions or therapeutic solutions. The methods herein feature detection and identification of organisms of the polymicrobial sample (e.g., polymicrobial infection), phenotypic pooled sensitivity tests for determining the susceptibility or resistance of the polymicrobial sample (e.g., polymicrobial infection) in the sample to an antibiotic or other therapeutic agent, and identification of resistance genes, e.g., genetic markers that may indicate resistance to a particular treatment. Together, the data can be applied against databases of antibiotic/therapeutic susceptibility or resistance for particular known polymicrobial samples (e.g., polymicrobial infections) in order to provide information related to the likelihood of success of one or more therapeutic solutions for the polymicrobial sample (e.g., polymicrobial infection).

Methods for identifying and providing information about inhibiting growth of polymicrobial infections, including but not limited to providing statistics or information about the likelihood of success in inhibiting growth of a polymicrobial infection with particular compositions or therapeutic solutions. The methods herein feature detection and identification of organisms of the polymicrobial sample (e.g., polymicrobial infection), phenotypic pooled sensitivity tests for determining the susceptibility or resistance of the polymicrobial sample (e.g., polymicrobial infection) in the sample to an antibiotic or other therapeutic agent, and identification of resistance genes, e.g., genetic markers that may indicate resistance to a particular treatment. Together, the data can be applied against databases of antibiotic/therapeutic susceptibility or resistance for particular known polymicrobial samples (e.g., polymicrobial infections) in order to provide information related to the likelihood of success of one or more therapeutic solutions for the polymicrobial sample (e.g., polymicrobial infection).

An imaging method for earliest microbial growth detection. The method uses images to determined colony biomass, and the colony biomass determines when the colony can be picked for analysis for identification or antibiotic susceptibility testing. If the sample source is not a pure sample source additional incubation may be required to permit an increase in biomass of the colonies prior to pick.

An imaging method for earliest microbial growth detection. The method uses images to determined colony biomass, and the colony biomass determines when the colony can be picked for analysis for identification or antibiotic susceptibility testing. If the sample source is not a pure sample source additional incubation may be required to permit an increase in biomass of the colonies prior to pick.