A method is provided for testing for presence of a particulate selected from the group consisting of: a microorganism, a fungus, a bacteria, a spore, a virus, a mite, a biological cell, a biological antigen, a protein, a protein antigen, and a carbohydrate antigen. The method includes (a) collecting, in a tube (22), fluid that potentially contains the particulate, (b) using a plunger (24) to push the fluid through a filter (26) disposed at a distal portion of the tube or at a distal end of the plunger, and subsequently, (c) while the filter is inside the tube, ascertaining if any of the particulate was trapped by the filter by applying a particulate-presence-testing-facilitation solution to the filter. Other embodiments are also described.

A method is provided for testing for presence of a particulate selected from the group consisting of: a microorganism, a fungus, a bacteria, a spore, a virus, a mite, a biological cell, a biological antigen, a protein, a protein antigen, and a carbohydrate antigen. The method includes (a) collecting, in a tube (22), fluid that potentially contains the particulate, (b) using a plunger (24) to push the fluid through a filter (26) disposed at a distal portion of the tube or at a distal end of the plunger, and subsequently, (c) while the filter is inside the tube, ascertaining if any of the particulate was trapped by the filter by applying a particulate-presence-testing-facilitation solution to the filter. Other embodiments are also described.

The present invention relates to a method for diagnosing esthetic degradations of skin, in particular linked to pollution, in a subject, comprising a step (a) of determining, in a skin sample of the subject, the level of at least one marker chosen from the group constituted of (i) bacteria of the species Propionibacterim acnes, bacteria of the family Micrococcaceae, bacteria of the genus Brachybacterium, bacteria of the genus Brevibacterium, bacteria of the order Burkholderiales, bacteria of the genus Parococcus, bacteria of the family Rhodobacteraceae and bacteria of the genus Fusobacterium, and (ii) metabolites of these bacteria chosen from 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutarate, 3-methylglutarate/2-methylglutarate, 4-guanidinobutanoate, 4-imidazoleacetate, 5-oxoproline, aconitrate, adipate, alanine, alpha-cetoglutarate, arabonate/xylonate, azelate, beta-citrylglutamate, choline, cis-urocanate, citraconate/glutaconate, fructose, fumarate, gamma-glutamylalanine, gamma-glutamylglutamine, gamma-glutamylglycine, gamma-glutamylisoleucine, gamma-glutamylleucine, gamma-glutamylsérine, gamma-glutamylthréonine, gamma-glutamyltryptophane, gamma-glutamylvaline, glutarate, glycerate, glycerol-3-phosphate, glycine, isovalerylglycine, kynurenate, lactate, linoleoyl ethanolamide, malate, maleate, malonate, maltose, methionine sulfoxide, methylsuccinate, N-acetylalanine, N-acetylarginine, N-acetylaspartate, N-acetylglycine, N-acetylhistidine, N-acetylphenylalanine, N-acetylthréonine, N-acetylvaline, oleamide, ornithine, palmitamide, pimelate, proline, salicylate, sebacate, serine, suberate, succinate, undecanedioate and S-amino-omega caprolactam.

The present invention relates to a method for diagnosing esthetic degradations of skin, in particular linked to pollution, in a subject, comprising a step (a) of determining, in a skin sample of the subject, the level of at least one marker chosen from the group constituted of (i) bacteria of the species Propionibacterim acnes, bacteria of the family Micrococcaceae, bacteria of the genus Brachybacterium, bacteria of the genus Brevibacterium, bacteria of the order Burkholderiales, bacteria of the genus Parococcus, bacteria of the family Rhodobacteraceae and bacteria of the genus Fusobacterium, and (ii) metabolites of these bacteria chosen from 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutarate, 3-methylglutarate/2-methylglutarate, 4-guanidinobutanoate, 4-imidazoleacetate, 5-oxoproline, aconitrate, adipate, alanine, alpha-cetoglutarate, arabonate/xylonate, azelate, beta-citrylglutamate, choline, cis-urocanate, citraconate/glutaconate, fructose, fumarate, gamma-glutamylalanine, gamma-glutamylglutamine, gamma-glutamylglycine, gamma-glutamylisoleucine, gamma-glutamylleucine, gamma-glutamylsérine, gamma-glutamylthréonine, gamma-glutamyltryptophane, gamma-glutamylvaline, glutarate, glycerate, glycerol-3-phosphate, glycine, isovalerylglycine, kynurenate, lactate, linoleoyl ethanolamide, malate, maleate, malonate, maltose, methionine sulfoxide, methylsuccinate, N-acetylalanine, N-acetylarginine, N-acetylaspartate, N-acetylglycine, N-acetylhistidine, N-acetylphenylalanine, N-acetylthréonine, N-acetylvaline, oleamide, ornithine, palmitamide, pimelate, proline, salicylate, sebacate, serine, suberate, succinate, undecanedioate and S-amino-omega caprolactam.

Provided is a diagnostic kit for determining infection with Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in a specimen, and a method for determining the infection with MRSA using the diagnostic kit is performed by visually observing a color change after LAMP reaction, and the color change is caused by a change in a magnesium concentration and confirmed using a specific dye compound which sensitively reacts with magnesium ions. The amplification of the MRSA DNA is performed using the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), so that the diagnostic kit has advantages of being conveniently used anytime and anywhere and quickly diagnosing.

Provided is a diagnostic kit for determining infection with Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in a specimen, and a method for determining the infection with MRSA using the diagnostic kit is performed by visually observing a color change after LAMP reaction, and the color change is caused by a change in a magnesium concentration and confirmed using a specific dye compound which sensitively reacts with magnesium ions. The amplification of the MRSA DNA is performed using the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), so that the diagnostic kit has advantages of being conveniently used anytime and anywhere and quickly diagnosing.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a detection means whereby Staphylococcus aureus can be identified at a high accuracy. An aspect of the present invention relates to a medium for detecting S. aureus which comprises one or more kinds of nutrient components, a color developing agent capable of developing a color in the presence of α-glucosidase, a color developing agent capable of developing a color in the presence of phosphatase and 0.5 mg/cm.sup.3 or more of sodium colistin methanesulfonate. Another aspect of the present invention relates to a sheet for detecting S. aureus, said sheet comprising the aforesaid medium, and a method for detecting S. aureus with the use of the medium and sheet as described above.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a detection means whereby Staphylococcus aureus can be identified at a high accuracy. An aspect of the present invention relates to a medium for detecting S. aureus which comprises one or more kinds of nutrient components, a color developing agent capable of developing a color in the presence of α-glucosidase, a color developing agent capable of developing a color in the presence of phosphatase and 0.5 mg/cm.sup.3 or more of sodium colistin methanesulfonate. Another aspect of the present invention relates to a sheet for detecting S. aureus, said sheet comprising the aforesaid medium, and a method for detecting S. aureus with the use of the medium and sheet as described above.

A screening method for confirming that a subject does not have a Group B Streptococcus (GBS) infection, the method comprising: determining if a GBS-volatile organic compound (VOCs) is not present in a sample that has been taken from the genital mucosa of the subject, wherein if a GBS-VOC is not present in the sample, the subject does not have a Group B Streptococcus infection. A method of diagnosing that a subject has a Group B Streptococcus (GBS) infection, the method comprising: determining if a GBS-volatile organic compound (VOCs) is present in a sample that has been taken from the genital mucosa of the subject, wherein if a GBS-VOC is present in the sample, the subject has a Group B Streptococcus infection.

The present invention relates to compositions comprising and methods of producing genetically engineered bacteriophages, bacteriophage-like particles and non-replicating transduction particles (NRTPs) that contain non-native tail fibers that display altered host specificity and/or reactivity. The present invention also relates to methods of using these bacteriophages and NRTPs for the development of novel diagnostics, therapeutics and/or research reagents for bacteria-related diseases.