Apparatus and method for analyzing bacteria

Abstract

An apparatus for analyzing bacteria is described that includes an analytic sample preparation section for preparing an analytic sample by treating a specimen so as to generate a morphological difference between Gram-negative bacteria and Gram-positive bacteria, a detector for detecting optical information from each particle contained in the analytic sample and an analyzing section for detecting Gram-positive bacteria contained on the basis of the detected optical information. A method for analyzing bacteria is also described.

1 . An apparatus for analyzing bacteria, comprising; 
 an analytic sample preparation section for preparing an analytic sample by treating a specimen so as to generate a morphological difference between Gram-negative bacteria and Gram-positive bacteria;    a detector for detecting optical information from each particle contained in the analytic sample; and    an analyzing section for detecting Gram-positive bacteria contained on the basis of the detected optical information.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the analytic sample preparation section prepares the analytic sample by treating the specimen under alkaline conditions.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the analytic sample preparation section comprises a liquid mixing mechanism for mixing an alkaline solution with the specimen.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the liquid mixing mechanism comprises: 
 a first container containing the specimen;    a second container containing the alkaline solution;    a third container in which the alkaline solution and the specimen are mixed; and    a liquid dispensing device for dispensing liquid to the third container from the first and second container.    
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the alkaline solution comprises a surfactant.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the analytic sample preparation section prepares the analytic sample by subjecting the specimen to fluorescent staining.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the analytic sample preparation section prepares the analytic sample by subjecting the specimen to fluorescent staining under acidic conditions after treating the specimen under alkaline conditions.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the analytic sample preparation section comprises a liquid mixing mechanism for mixing the alkaline solution with the specimen and further mixing the obtained mixture with a reagent containing a fluorescent dye.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the liquid mixing mechanism comprises: 
 a first container containing the specimen;    a second container containing the alkaline solution;    a third container containing the fluorescent dye;    a fourth container in which the alkaline solution, the specimen and the fluorescent dye are mixed; and    a liquid dispensing device for dispensing liquid to the fourth container from the first, second and third container.    
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the optical information includes scattered light and fluorescence.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the analyzing section calculates the number of detected Gram-positive bacteria.  
     
     
         12 . An apparatus for analyzing bacteria, comprising; 
 an analytic sample preparation section for preparing first and second analytic samples from a specimen, the second analytic prepared by treating the specimen so as to generate a morphological difference between Gram-negative bacteria and Gram-positive bacteria;    a detector for detecting first optical information from each particle contained in the first analytic sample, and for detecting second optical information from each particle contained in the second analytic sample; and    an analyzing section for detecting both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria on the basis of the first optical information and further detecting Gram-positive bacteria on the basis of the second optical information.    
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the analytic sample preparation section prepares the second analytic sample by treating the specimen under alkali conditions.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the analytic sample preparation section comprises a liquid mixing mechanism for mixing the alkaline solution with the specimen to prepare the second analytic sample.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the alkaline solution comprises a surfactant.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the analytic sample preparation section prepares the first analytic sample without treating the specimen with an alkaline solution.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the analytic sample preparation section prepares the first analytic sample and the second analytic sample by subjecting the specimen to fluorescent staining.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the analytic sample preparation section comprises a liquid mixing mechanism for mixing an alkaline solution with the specimen and further mixing the obtained mixture with a reagent containing a fluorescent dye to prepare a second analytic sample.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the analytic sample preparation section comprises a liquid mixing mechanism for mixing a reagent containing a fluorescent dye with the specimen to prepare the first analytic sample, and for mixing an alkaline solution with the specimen and further mixing the obtained mixture with the reagent containing a fluorescent dye to prepare the second analytic sample.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the liquid mixing mechanism comprises: 
 a first container containing the specimen;    a second container containing the alkaline solution;    a third container containing the fluorescent dye;    a fourth container in which the specimen and the fluorescent dye are mixed to prepare the first analytic sample;    a fifth container in which the alkaline solution, the specimen and the fluorescent dye are mixed to prepare the second analytic sample; and    a liquid dispensing device for dispensing liquid to the fourth container from the first and third container, and for dispensing liquid to the fifth container from the first, second and third container.    
     
     
         21 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the optical information includes scattered light and fluorescence.  
     
     
         22 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the analyzing section calculates the number of Gram-positive bacteria and the number of Gram-negative bacteria.  
     
     
         23 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the analyzing section calculates the sum of the number of Gram-negative bacteria and the number of Gram-positive bacteria on the basis of the first optical information and calculates the number of Gram-positive bacteria on the basis of the second optical information.  
     
     
         24 . The apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein the analyzing section calculates the number of Gram-negative bacteria by subtracting the number of Gram-positive bacteria from the sum of the number of Gram-negative bacteria and the number of Gram-positive bacteria.  
     
     
         25 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the analyzing section determines whether the kind of bacteria contained in the specimen is Gram-negative bacteria or Gram-positive bacteria.  
     
     
         26 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the analyzing section determines whether the kind of major bacteria contained in the specimen is Gram-negative bacteria or Gram-positive bacteria.  
     
     
         27 . The apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein the analyzing section determines whether the kind of bacteria contained in the specimen is Gram-negative bacteria or Gram-positive bacteria, on the basis of the number of Gram-positive bacteria and the sum of the number of Gram-negative bacteria and the number of Gram-positive bacteria.  
     
     
         28 . The apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein the analyzing section determines whether the kind of major bacteria contained in the specimen is Gram-negative bacteria or Gram-positive bacteria, on the basis of the number of Gram-positive bacteria and the sum of the number of Gram-negative bacteria and the number of Gram-positive bacteria.  
     
     
         29 . The apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein the analyzing section determines whether the kind of bacteria contained in the specimen is Gram-negative bacteria or Gram-positive bacteria, on the basis of the number of Gram-positive bacteria and the number of Gram-negative bacteria.  
     
     
         30 . The bacterial analyzer according to  claim 24 , wherein the analyzing section determines whether the kind of major bacteria contained in the specimen is Gram-negative bacteria or Gram-positive bacteria, on the basis of the number of Gram-positive bacteria and the number of Gram-negative bacteria.  
     
     
         31 . A method for analyzing bacteria, comprising the steps of: 
 treating a specimen so as to cause a morphological difference between Gram-positive bacteria and Gram-negative bacteria to prepare an analytic sample;    detecting optical information from each particle contained in the prepared analytic sample; and    detecting Gram-positive bacteria on the basis of the detected optical information.    
     
     
         32 . A method for analyzing bacteria, comprising the steps of: 
 preparing first and second analytic samples from a specimen by treating the specimen so as to cause a morphological difference between Gram-negative bacteria and Gram-positive bacteria in the second analytic sample;    detecting first optical information from each particle contained in the first analytic sample and detecting second optical information from each particle contained in the second analytic sample; and    detecting both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria on the basis of the first optical information and detecting Gram-positive bacteria on the basis of the second optical information.    
     
     
         33 . A method for analyzing bacteria, comprising the steps of: 
 preparing first and second analytic samples from a specimen by treating the specimen so as to cause a morphological difference between Gram-negative bacteria and Gram-positive bacteria in the second analytic sample;    detecting first optical information from each particle contained in the first analytic sample and detecting second optical information from each particle contained in the second analytic sample; and    calculating the number of Gram-negative bacteria and the number of Gram-positive bacteria on the basis of the first and second optical information.    
     
     
         34 . The method for analyzing bacteria according to  claim 33 , wherein the calculating step comprising the steps of: 
 calculating the sum of the number of Gram-negative bacteria and the number of Gram-positive bacteria, on the basis of the first optical information;    calculating the number of Gram-negative bacteria on the basis of the second optical information; and    calculating the number of Gram-positive bacteria by subtracting the number of Gram-negative bacteria from the sum of the number of Gram-negative bacteria and the number of Gram-positive bacteria.    
     
     
         35 . The method for analyzing bacteria according to  claim 34 , further comprising a step of determining whether the kind of bacteria contained in the specimen is Gram-negative bacteria or Gram-positive bacteria, on the basis of the number of Gram-positive bacteria and the number of Gram-negative bacteria.