Reconfigurable measuring system for the automatic detection of bacterial growth in a specimen processing platform

Abstract

The detection of bacterial infections in biological samples represents a fundamental task in human health preservation. This paper describes a measuring system that aims to detect bacterial growth in Petri dishes while they are inside the incubator of the WASPLab® specimen processing platform (COPAN Italia S.p.A.). In fact, the interaction between the system and the WASPLab® enhances the analytical process. The proposed system monitors bacterial growth by measuring the impedance related to the examined Petri dishes. Furthermore, it can be easily reconfigured according to user requirements. Finally, it has some features that enhance its connectivity with the WASPLab® and other devices, developing a structure that is compliant with the Industry 4.0 model. We assess the system performance through different tests, in which we monitored the growth of S. aureus ATCC 6538, starting from concentrations in the order of 4.5^.10⁸ CFU/ml, 4.5^.10⁷ CFU/ml, and 4.5^.10⁶ CFU/ml. The results show the system’s correct operation both in an ad hoc setup and while working with the WASPLab®. Furthermore, the connectivity between the system and other devices allows for a user to be informed about the analyses that are on course and to act on the system at any time and even from remote locations.