AUTOMATED APPARATUS FOR DETERMINATION OF MIC AND COUNT OF VIABLE BACTERIA AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATIC DETERMINATION

摘要

PURPOSE:To provide an automated apparatus for the determination of MIC and the count of viable bacteria, having a remarkably improved operation efficiency compared with conventional apparatuses and capable of automatically and continuously performing all procedures comprising the dilution of specimen, the preparation of agar plate, the dilution and inoculation of bacterial suspension and the judgment of the cultivation result. CONSTITUTION:A specimen in a specimen test tube is sucked with a micropipette 30 which is automatically transferred in X, Y and Z directions by a robot. The sucked specimen is ejected into a test tube 12 while injecting a dilution liquid into the tube to effect the 1st dilution. Thereafter, the diluted specimen liquid diluted to a prescribed concentration is pipetted to a petri dish 10 by similar method and a prescribed amount of an agar medium is pipetted and added to the specimen liquid. The diluted specimen liquid and the agar medium are mixed with each other (41) by rotating the petri dish 10 with a rotary disk placed under a conveyor 11. After the mixing operation, the dish is passed through a cooling hood 45 on the conveyor 11 and solidified by cooling to obtain an agar plate. The surface of the agar plate is inoculated with an objective microorganism by an inoculation rod interposing prescribed spaces. A series of MIC determination procedures such as cultivation at a specific temperature over a specific period are automatically and continuously performed.