Abstract: A method of identifying a target microbe in a specimen and including the steps of a) obtaining a specimen, b) lysing the specimen to release a plurality of rRNA molecules from one or more first target microbes in the specimen, c) contacting the specimen with a plurality of first oligonucleotide probe sets configured to selectively bind to rRNA molecules released from the target microbe thereby forming a plurality of first hybridized complexes, each first hybridized complex including one first capture probe and one first detector probe and one of the plurality of rRNA molecules, and d) analyzing the first hybridized complexes to identify a first target microbe in the specimen.

Abstract: A method of determining a bacterial density in a specimen may include the steps of: (a) conducting an RNA assay on the specimen to determine a microbial rRNA concentration, wherein the microbial rRNA concentration is defined as the number of rRNA molecules per volume of the specimen; and (b) converting the rRNA concentration to a bacterial density value.

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: A method of identifying a target microbe in a specimen and including the steps of a) obtaining a specimen, b) lysing the specimen to release a plurality of rRNA molecules from one or more first target microbes in the specimen; c) contacting the specimen with a plurality of first oligonucleotide probe sets configured to selectively bind to rRNA molecules released from the target microbe thereby forming a plurality of first hybridized complexes, each first hybridized complex including one first capture probe and one first detector probe and one of the plurality of rRNA molecules, and d) analyzing the first hybridized complexes to identify a first target microbe in the specimen.

Abstract: A method of determining a bacterial density in a specimen may include the steps of: (a) conducting an RNA assay on the specimen to determine a microbial rRNA concentration, wherein the microbial rRNA concentration is defined as the number of rRNA molecules per volume of the specimen; and (b) 1 converting the rRNA concentration to a bacterial density value.

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.