Appeal No. 2004-1734
Application No. 08/942,369
primary Gram-negative uropathogens present in said sample. Brief, pp. 3-4. That is,
because contaminating flora are normally present on a patient’s skin, an animal’s fur, or
in the environment, the collection of a urine specimen for analysis often results in the
specimen being contaminated by bacteria, or otherwise being collected in a non-sterile
manner. Brief, p. 2. The present invention is said to avoid this problem by employing a
uropathogenic-specific medium which only enables the growth of primary gram-negative
uropathogens and not other bacteria present in a biological sample.
Discussion
In reviewing the applied prior art we find that Johnson discloses a microtiter-type
device (a multicompartment assay device), for exposing a test sample to a variety of
test reactants. Johnson, the abstract; col. 1, lines 6-11. The device contains
dehydrated reagents which can be rehydrated with aliquots of the inoculum to be tested.
Id., the abstract; col. 2, lines 28-35. Johnson further discloses that the device can be
used to determine the sensitivity of microorganisms to antibiotics. Id., col. 1, lines 5-11;
col. 2, lines 9-11 and lines 35-44; col. 3, lines 25-29. Johnson still further discloses that
In accordance with the present invention, a self-contained rehydratable
microtiter type device is disclosed in which serial concentrations of material can
be predeposited and dried in multiple growth wells or cavities of the device and
then a preselected aliquot amount of a chosen inoculum from a reservoir in the
device is used to rehydrate the dried material to a proper liquid concentration.
Following incubation, if any, the results are observed. For example, by
rehydrating dried antimicrobial agents microbial sensitivity can be determined by
macroscopically observing turbid growth. Thus, specimen can be introduced into
selective culture mediums and known antibiotics. The optical characteristics will
change if (a) the specimen contains a microorganism which is favored by the
culture medium of the blend and (b) the microorganism is not susceptible to the
antibiotic. Johnson, col. 2, lines 28-44.
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