Fast detection of bacterial growth by using Portable Microbe Enrichment Unit (PMEU) and ChemPro100i® gas sensor

Elias Hakalehto, Jouni Pesola, Anneli Heitto, Brajesh Bhanj Deob, Kari Rissanen, Ulla Sankilampi, Tarmo Humppi and Heikki Paakkanen

Abstract

The combination of the Portable Microbe Enrichment Unit (PMEU) cultivation and ChemPro100i® Chemical Detector helps the fast detection of hospital infections. The first alarm of the microbe metabolism and growth in the enrichment culture was achieved in 2–3 h when pure cultures of strains isolated from neonatal patients were tested. For the detection of minor concentrations of the bacteria, Bacillus, Staphylococcus, Klebsiella and Escherichia strains were diluted to 0.5–600 cells per ml. Their preliminary detection was achieved within 4–5 h. The combination of enrichment culture (PMEU) and detection of bacterial products by ion mobility spectrometer is a rapid and sensitive method for diagnosis of bacterial growth. This finding warrants further studies with clinical samples.

Keywords: Intestinal microbiota; Portable Microbe Enrichment Unit; Ion mobility spectrometer; Bacterial enrichment; Enterobacteriaceae; Escherichia coli; Klebsiella; Staphylococcus; Bacillus cereus; Hospital infections; Blood cultures; Neonatal septicaemia

The First PMEU Application: Rapid Detection of Harmful/Hazardous Bacteria.

The very first type of PMEU applications, selective detection of bacterial species, has been used worldwide in research institutes and hospitals since the end of 20th century. The schematic picture above describes the significant benefit of PMEU analyses, the speed. Selective cultivations can be started even at the sampling site and be continued during the transport of the samples to the receiving laboratory. Collection and pre-enrichment of samples for eg. environmental control (water authorities etc.) and HACCP quality management (food, dairy and beverage industry, packaging industry) are therefore available with highest speed found in microbiology today. The rapid detection of pathogens can even save human lifes in cases when the right antibiotic treatment of patients, suffering of infections in blood circulation system, can be found in time.