RAPID, ACCURATE IDENTIFICATION OF GRAM-POSITIVE ORGANISMS

GRAM-POSITIVE BACTERIA ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR A MAJOR PORTION OF BACTERIAL INFECTIONS. ALTHOUGH SOME SPECIES IN THIS GROUP ARE EASILY IDENTIFIED, BETTER GENERAL IDENTIFICATION METHODS ARE NEEDED. IT IS EXPECTED THAT BIOLOG, INC.'S NEW TECHNOLOGY WILL PERMIT IDENTIFICATION OF THE COMMONLY ADDRESSED GRAM-POSITIVE ORGANISMS AS WELL AS RAPID AND ACCURATE IDENTIFICATION OF LESS COMMON GRAM-POSITIVE BACTERIA THAT FREQUENTLY CAUSE SERIOUS INFECTION IN COMPROMISED HOSTS. EXISTING PRODUCTS CANNOT ADEQUATELY IDENTIFY THESE ORGANISMS. BIOLOG, INC. HOLDS TWO PATENTS ON A NEW REDOX METHOD OF TESTING THAT CAN BE DEVELOPED INTO IDENTIFICATION TESTS FOR ALL CLINICALLY IMPORTANT MICROORGANISMS. THESE TESTS WILL IDENTIFY AN ORGANISM BASED ON PATTERNS OF CARBON SOURCE UTILIZATION. THE METHOD EMPLOYS A TETRAZOLIUM DYE TO COLORIMETRICALLY INDICATE CARBON SOURCE OXIDATION. THIS PHASE I STUDY WILL DEMONSTRATE THE FEASIBILITY OF DEVELOPING A RAPID AND ACCURATE SPECIATION KIT FOR GRAM-POSITIVE BACTERIA. TWO TASKS ARE INVOLVED: (1) THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SUSPENSION MEDIUM COMPATIBLE WITH THE REDOX CHEMISTRY THAT IS TAILORED TO THIS GROUP OF ORGANISMS, AND (2) A SURVEY OF APPROXIMATELY 200 ORGANIC CHEMICALS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT NEW AND USEFUL SPECIATION TESTS CAN BE FOUND. BIOLOG, INC.'S TECHNOLOGY OFFERS MANY ADVANTAGES OVER PRESENT TECHNOLOGIES, INCLUDING SPEED, SIMPLICITY, AND ACCURACY.