Chip technology could cut the wait for test results on clinical samples, say US scientists. A team at the University of Chicago has developed a method to detect bacteria in blood plasma samples and simultaneously screen their response to antibiotics.rnThe group's technique works by mixing a sample with a dye that fluoresces in the presence of bacteria; the mixture is then converted into droplets inside a microfluidic chip. If the sample contains bacteria some of the droplets will contain a single bacterium and fluoresce. Because of the very small droplet size, the occupied droplets will have a high bacterial density, removing the need to incubate samples to increase their concentration before detection.
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