Experimental use of a new surface acoustic wave sensor for the rapid identification of bacteria and yeasts.
OBJECTIVE
Use of an electronic nose (zNose(TM)) to discriminate between volatile organic molecules delivered during bacterial/fungal growth on agar and in broth media.


RESULTS
Cultures of bacteria (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli) and yeasts (two Candida albicans strains) were grown on agar and in broth media and incubated for 24 h at 37 degrees C. Headspace samples from microbial cultures were analysed by the zNose(TM), a fast gas chromatography-surface acoustic wave detector. Olfactory images of volatile production patterns were observed to be different for the various species tested after 24 h. Moreover, some strains (two K. pneumoniae, two C. albicans) did not show changes in volatile production patterns within our species.


CONCLUSIONS
Our experiments demonstrate that the electronic nose system can recognize volatile production patterns of pathogens at species level.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results, although preliminary, promise exciting challenges for microbial diagnostics.
Casalinuovo
I A
IA
Division of Microbiology, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata' Rome, Italy. casalinuovo@med.uniroma2.it
Pierro
D
D
Bruno
E
E
Francesco
P
P
Coletta
M
M
D000162:Acoustics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007711:Klebsiella pneumoniae / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016533:Mycological Typing Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000032:analysis; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification
D009930:Organic Chemicals