Abstract: The present invention relates to a specific method accomplishing fast and specific detection, identification and characterization of contaminating micro-organisms in various samples. A method has been developed based on the detection of species-specific and/or strain-specific nucleotide sequences that are uniquely identified and amplified and subsequently detected on a microarray using addressable identifier ZIP oligonucleotides. By using a two step screening process, the method of the present invention enables in first instance the fast screening of a multitude of samples for the presence or the absence of specific micro-organisms in such samples, while in a second screening step the positive results of the first step are further processed to identify and characterize the detected micro-organisms.

Abstract: The present invention relates to assays, compositions and methods for the detection and discrimination of specific gene sequences encoding antibiotic resistance in a sample. The nucleotide sequences encoding antibiotic resistance genes are uniquely identified. In particular, these sequences are hybridized to capture probes, enabling real-time PCR. For this purpose, the capture probes may also be covalently linked to amplification primers. Alternatively, detection of amplified products with hybridization to capture probes may be performed after amplification by hybridization to capture probes bound to a solid support such as microarrays and microspheres (beads). Finally, detection of amplification products during amplification in real-time using capture probes may be combined with detection of such amplification products after amplification using the same and/or different capture probes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a specific method accomplishing fast and specific detection, identification and characterization of contaminating micro-organisms in various samples. A method has been developed based on the detection of species-specific and/or strain-specific nucleotide sequences that are uniquely identified and amplified and subsequently detected on a microarray using addressable identifier ZIP oligonucleotides. By using a two step screening process, the method of the present invention enables in first instance the fast screening of a multitude of samples for the presence or the absence of specific micro-organisms in such samples, while in a second screening step the positive results of the first step are further processed to identify and characterize the detected micro-organisms.