A rapid method of determining the efficacy of a sterilization cycle, and an indicator adapted to perform such method, comprising subjecting to the sterilization cycle a source of active enzyme having activity which correlates with the viability of a microorganism commonly used to monitor sterilization, and incubating the enzyme source, following the completion of the sterilization cycle, with an effective amount of a substrate system capable of reacting with any residual active enzyme to produce a detectable enzyme-modified product.
A composition for use in a medium for detecting yeasts and molds in a test sample, the composition comprises a substrate for an aminopeptidase; and a signal moiety linked to the substrate, the signal moiety capable of providing a detectable signal when cleaved by aminopeptidase in yeasts or molds. Optionally, an aminopeptidase inhibitor is added to the composition, to reduce endogenous enzymatic activity in samples. A method for use of the composition to detect the presence or amount of yeasts and/or molds in a test sample comprises inoculating a medium comprising the composition of claim 1 with said test sample; incubating the inoculated medium under conditions suitable for the growth of yeasts or molds; and, observing any detectable signal, whereby the presence of a detectable signal indicates the presence of yeasts or molds in the test sample.
A tissue biopsy cell suspender device includes a receptacle having a sealable opening. The receptacle contains a sufficient quantity of an aqueous medium to support an enzymatic dissociation of cells from a tissue biopsy sample. The device has a removable closure with a first sealing position and a second sealing position for sealing the opening in the receptacle. The device further includes a frangible container having a sufficient quantity of an enzyme therein to dissociate cells from the tissue biopsy sample. The frangible container is covered with a membrane that is permeable to water and to the enzyme. The frangible container is disposed within the receptacle so that the container is intact when the closure is in the first sealing position and the container is breached when the closure is in the second sealing position. When the frangible container is breached, the enzyme is released to permeate into the medium and for dissociation of the cells from the tissue sample.
Methods and kits are provided for detecting viable bacteria or microorganisms at the completion of a sterilization cycle using rapid biological detection systems. The results of the detection systems can be read visually by non-technical personnel within one hour of the sterilization cycle at room temperature, resulting in a quick, cost-effective, and easy-to-use method or diagnostic kit.
This invention relates to methods and the use of biological indicator systems to assess and determine the effectiveness of sterilization processes comprising the steps of contacting an indicator comprising microbial spores with a sterilant; a medium selected to germinate the spores; and calculating a germination rate of the exposed spores to determine the effectiveness of the sterilization process. A method for rapidly determining the effectiveness of the gemination rate of microbial spores with spore viability is also described.
This invention generally relates to products and processes used to determine the presence of bacteria in a sample and particularly relates to a culture medium which may be used in products and processes to allow early detection and count of coliform bacteria. The bacterial culture medium which facilitates the early detection and count of coliform bacteria is a mixture of tryptose, lactose, sodium chloride, bile salts, guar gum and an excess amount of phenol red sufficient to provide a high concentration of phenol red in close proximity to the growing bacteria in order to allow detection and count of the growing bacteria in less than 12 hours.
