Abstract: The present invention relates generally to materials and methods for detection of bacteria, and for testing and determination of antibiotic susceptibility of bacteria in specimens of bodily fluid and other samples. The invention also relates to materials and methods for monitoring the physiological response of bacteria to antimicrobial agents, and for reducing background and increasing sensitivity of assays that involve the detection and/or measurement of RNA, such as rRNA. The invention provides kits comprising an RNase packaged for use in the methods described herein.

Abstract: A method for determining the susceptibility of bacteria in a clinical sample comprising urine or an inoculant derived therefrom to an antibiotic agent may include the steps of a) inoculating a test portion of the clinical sample in a medium containing a predetermined concentration of the antibiotic agent; b) inoculating a control portion of the clinical sample in a medium that does not contain the antibiotic agent; c) incubating the test portion for an incubation period; d) incubating the control portion for the incubation period; e) determining a quantity of RNA in the test portion and a quantity of RNA in the control portion at the conclusion of the incubation period that is less than 480 minutes after the completion of step a); and f) determining a susceptibility of the bacteria to the antibiotic agent by comparing the quantity of RNA in the test portion to the quantity of the RNA in the control portion.

Abstract: There is described a method for extracting a target chemical compound from a cellular material in a sample. The method comprising the steps of: subjecting the sample to mechanical lysis to cause disruption of a cellular membrane in the cellular material; contacting the sample with an alkaline material to produce a lysate composition comprising the target chemical compound; and recovering the lysate composition from the sample. There is also described a method for producing a lysate composition comprising RNA from a mammalian bodily fluid sample comprising a cellular material. There is also described a method for extracting a nucleic acid from a cellular material in a bodily fluid or an inoculant derived therefrom.

Abstract: There is described a method for extracting a target chemical compound from a cellular material in a sample. The method comprising the steps of: subjecting the sample to mechanical lysis to cause disruption of a cellular membrane in the cellular material; contacting the sample with an alkaline material to produce a lysate composition comprising the target chemical compound; and recovering the lysate composition from the sample. There is also described a method for producing a lysate composition comprising RNA from a mammalian bodily fluid sample comprising a cellular material. There is also described a method for extracting a nucleic acid from a cellular material in a bodily fluid or an inoculant derived therefrom.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to materials and methods for detection of bacteria, and for testing and determination of antibiotic susceptibility of bacteria in specimens of bodily fluid and other samples. The invention also relates to materials and methods for monitoring the physiological response of bacteria to antimicrobial agents, and for reducing background and increasing sensitivity of assays that involve the detection and/or measurement of RNA, such as rRNA. The invention provides kits comprising an RNase packaged for use in the methods described herein.

Abstract: A device uses twist- or push-initiated force to collect, meter, filter and store a blood sample.