title: Capillary-tube scanner for mechanized microbiology. A photoelectric scanner measures growth in agar-filled capillaries and gives a new approach to microbiology.
abstract: Growing microcolonies of bacteria can be detected by their light-scattering property. We have described a system in which growing bacteria in glass capillaries filled with nutrient agar are counted as the capillaries move through a narrow beam of light. Increased counts after incubation indicate the presence of viable organisms in the original sample; the equipment can detect colonies when they grow to a diameter of 8 microm. Aerobic, anaerobic, and facultative organisms can grow in the capillary environment. The sensitivities of several organisms to antibiotics were determined by adding antibiotics to the agar before the capillaries were filled.
mesh_terms: D000362:Agar; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001419:Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development*; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D001681:Biological Assay; D002197:Capillary Action; D003016:Clostridium perfringens / Q000254:growth & development; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000254:growth & development; D007709:Klebsiella / Q000254:growth & development; D008853:Microscopy / Q000295:instrumentation; D011511:Proteus / Q000254:growth & development; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000254:growth & development; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000254:growth & development; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000362:Agar