PATENTS RELATED TO MICROBIAL DETECTION AND ENUMERATION

Although Dr. Demchick also represents patent seekers with non-microbiological inventions, his doctorate is in microbiology. Microbiology has been the primary focus of his research and teaching. He especially loves dealing with patent searches and applications for involving microbiology.

Dr. Demchick is a scientist with a quarter of a century of research experience in academic, industrial and governmental settings.

If you are considering patent protection for an invention, Dr. Demchick will be glad to discuss the matter with you. There is no charge for an initial discussion.

The following sampling is to give you some sense of the types of microbial detection and enumeration related inventions which have received United States patent protection. The patent list is not exhaustive and is certainly not a substitute for a proper patent search . It should be noted that only U.S. Patents are included.

It should be noted that spelling, form and typographical errors in the original patents are preserved here.

Nucleic acid-based methods of detecting bacterial o-antigens (United States Patent 7,148,005)

Method and apparatus for detecting phycocyanin-pigmented algae and bacteria from reflected light (United States Patent 7,132,254)

Detection of fecal contamination using nucleic acid molecules that recognize bacterial 16S rDNA sequences (United States Patent 7,118,870)

Nucleic acid, nucleic acid for detecting dechlorination bacteria, probe, method for detecting dechlorination bacteria and method for treating earth or underground water polluted by chlorinated ethylene or chlorinated ethane (United States Patent 7,115,734)

Detection of microbiological growth in a sealed container using a poising agent (United States Patent 7,112,416)

Method of detecting acid-fast bacteria using ribosomal RNA as target (United States Patent 7,090,980)

Detection and identification of bacterial strains (United States Patent 7,087,376)

Detection of fungal pathogens using the polymerase chain reaction (United States Patent 7,060,816)

Detection of wheat and barley fungal pathogens which are resistant to certain fungicides using the polymerase chain reaction (United States Patent 7,041,456)

Bacteriocin-metal complexes in the detection of pathogens and other biological analytes (United States Patent 7,034,113)

Apparatus and method for detecting and classifying chemicals, particles, vira, and bacteria in fluids (United States Patent 7,029,852)

Method for detecting a gram-negative bacterial autoinducer molecule (United States Patent 6,979,696)

Method and device for detecting microbiologically induced corrosion (United States Patent 6,960,288)

Method for detecting a gram-negative bacterial autoinducer molecule (United States Patent 6,958,219)

Detection of bacterial vaginosis (United States Patent 6,951,759)

Rapid method of detection and enumeration of sulfide-producing bacteria in food products (United States Patent 6,908,746)

Materials and methods for molecular detection of clinically relevant pathogenic fungal species (United States Patent 6,872,523)

Rapid microbiological test for the detection of antibacterial compounds (United States Patent 6,867,015)

Nucleic acid probes and methods for detecting clinically important fungal pathogens (United States Patent 6,858,387)

Means for detecting bacteria of the taylorella equigenitalis species and their biological applications (United States Patent 6,858,209)

Direct detection of bacteria-antibody complexes via UV resonance Raman spectroscopy (United States Patent 6,844,199)

Methods for detecting bacteriophage MS2 (United States Patent 6,841,346)

Bacteria detection using immobilized enzyme substrates (United States Patent 6,833,251)

Automated epifluorescence microscopy for detection of bacterial contamination in platelets (United States Patent 6,803,208)

System for detecting bacteria in blood, blood products, and fluids of tissues (United States Patent 6,790,661)

Detection of phenols using engineered bacteria (United States Patent 6,773,918)

Method for detecting bacterial exacerbations of chronic lung disease (United States Patent 6,740,499)

Detection of bacterial kidney disease (United States Patent 6,733,976)

Quantitative assay for the simultaneous detection and speciation of bacterial infections (United States Patent 6,699,670)

Detection and identification of enteric bacteria (United States Patent 6,696,254)

Device and method for detecting, isolating and eliminating hazardous microbiological polluting agents (United States Patent 6,660,227)

Detection of fungal pathogens using the polymerase chain reaction (United States Patent 6,645,720)

Genes for detecting bacteria and detection method by using the same (United States Patent 6,632,642)

Rapid method of detection and enumeration of sulfide-producing bacteria in food products (United States Patent 6,632,632)

Method for improving the growth and colorimetric detection of bacteria, yeasts, fungi or cocci (United States Patent 6,617,126)

Methods of detecting fungus using electromagnetic radiation (United States Patent 6,610,983)

Extraction, amplification and sequential hybridization of fungal cell DNA and process for detection of fungal cells in clinical material (United States Patent 6,605,439)

Real time viability detection of bacterial spores (United States Patent 6,599,715)

Detection of antibodies to bacterial antigens by fluorescence polarization (United States Patent 6,596,546)

Method and apparatus for detecting bacteria (United States Patent 6,589,761)

Method for detecting substances inhibiting the bacterial type III secretion mechanism and function of secretory proteins thereof (United States Patent 6,586,200)

METHOD OF DIAGNOSING IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME AND OTHER DISORDERS CAUSED BY SMALL INTESTINAL BACTERIAL OVERGROWTH BY DETECTING THE PRESENCE OF ANTI-SACCHAROMYCES CERIVISIAE ANTIBODIES (ASCA) IN HUMAN SERUM (United States Patent 6,562,629)

Method for detecting bacteria with bacteriaphage (United States Patent 6,555,312)

Oligonucleotide specific of the Escherichia coli species and method for detecting and displaying bacteria of this species (United States Patent 6,551,776)

Method of detecting sulphate-reducing bacteria (United States Patent 6,531,281)

Process for preparing a reactive pharmaceutical product for the detection of gastrointestinal disorder caused by bacteria in the gastrointestinal superior tract (United States Patent 6,517,809)

Optical sensors for rapid, sensitive detection and quantitation of bacterial spores (United States Patent 6,498,041)

Method and composition for detecting bacterial contamination in food products (United States Patent 6,472,167)

Method for detecting live microbiological contaminants in a food product sample (United States Patent 6,472,149)

Method to detect bacteria (United States Patent 6,461,833)

Reagents and kits for detecting fungal pathogens in a biological sample (United States Patent 6,455,248)

Bacteria and bacteriophage detection using immobilized enzyme substrates (United States Patent 6,436,661)

Use of phage associated lytic enzymes for the rapid detection of bacterial contaminants (United States Patent 6,395,504)

Antibodies for the detection of beer spoilage lactic acid bacteria and kit employing the antibodies (United States Patent 6,395,500)

Methods and compositions for the detection of bacterial endotoxins (United States Patent 6,391,570)

Method and composition for detecting bacterial contamination in food products (United States Patent 6,387,650)

Nucleic acids for detecting Aspergillus species and other filamentous fungi (United States Patent 6,372,430)

Detection of wheat and barley fungal pathogens using the polymerase chain reaction (United States Patent 6,358,680)

Chromogenic substrates for detecting bacterial hydrolases (United States Patent 6,340,573)

Polynucleotide probes for detection and quantitation of bacteria in the family enterobacteriaceae (United States Patent 6,326,486)

Bacteriophages, method for screening same and bactericidal compositions using same, and detection kits using same (United States Patent 6,322,783)

Method for detecting bacteria using PCR (United States Patent 6,312,930)

Bacteriophage-based transgenic fish for mutation detection (United States Patent 6,307,121)

PNA probes, probe sets, methods and kits pertaining to the universal detection of bacteria and eucarya (United States Patent 6,280,946)

Methods and compositions for the detection of bacterial endotoxins (United States Patent 6,270,982)

Method for detecting bacterial nitrite oxidizer (United States Patent 6,268,154)

Method based on the use of bacteriophages for the detection biological molecules in biological samples (United States Patent 6,265,169)

Culture medium for detecting pathogenic bacteria of the genus Listeria and method for identifying said bacteria (United States Patent 6,228,606)

Method for the genus-specific or/and species-specific detection of bacteria in a sample liquid (United States Patent 6,225,094)

Rapid detection of bacteria liquid cultures (United States Patent 6,203,996)

Bacterium detector (United States Patent 6,197,574)

Methods of detection utilizing modified bacteriophage (United States Patent 6,190,856)

Nucleic acid probes for the detection and identification of fungi (United States Patent 6,180,339)

Method for rapid detection of bacterial growth in cultures (United States Patent 6,165,741)

Method of detecting bacterial infection (United States Patent 6,165,736)

Biochemical detection system for rapid determination of the presence of toxins, bacteria, and other substances (United States Patent 6,146,591)

Method for detecting microorganisms by separation and culture on a gelled system, gelled system and assay kit therefor, and use thereof in microbiology (United States Patent 6,107,053)

Rapid two-stage polymerase chain reaction method for detection of lactic acid bacteria in beer (United States Patent 6,103,468)

Method of detecting DNA encoding a .beta.-glucosidase from a filamentous fungus (United States Patent 6,103,464)

Detecting eubacteria and fungus and determining their antibiotic sensitivity by using catalytically inactive murein binding enzymes (United States Patent 6,090,573)

Detection of bacteria of genus Listeria using nucleic probe hybridization techniques (United States Patent 6,090,551)

Method and device for detecting bacteriophage using contrast-coloring and precipitable dyes (United States Patent 6,090,541)

Oligonucleotides for detection of Bacillus cereus group bacteria harmful to mammals, and method of detection with the oligonucleotides (United States Patent 6,087,104)

Methods for detecting shigella bacteria or antibodies to shigella bacteria with an immunoassay (United States Patent 6,083,683)

Detection of fungal pathogens (United States Patent 6,080,543)

Methods for detecting Campylobacter bacteria or antibodies to Campylobacter bacteria with an immunoassay (United States Patent 6,077,678)

Detection and differentiation of mycobacterium tuberculosis complex bacteria by direct variant repeat oligotyping (United States Patent 6,074,820)

Polynucleotides and their use for detecting enterococci and streptococci bacterial strains (United States Patent 6,054,269)

Sequential hybridization of fungal cell DNA and method for the detection of fungal cells in clinical material (United States Patent 6,046,006)

Bacteria for preparing stable fusion proteins and methods for detecting the same (United States Patent 6,040,141)

Species specific and universal DNA probes and amplification primers to rapidly detect and identify common bacterial pathogens and associated antibiotic resistance genes from clinical specimens for routine diagnosis in microbiology laboratories (United States Patent 6,001,564)

Method and kit for rapid detection of toxins and bacteria (United States Patent 5,994,067)

Species-specific and universal DNA probes and amplification primers to rapidly detect and identify common bacterial pathogens and associated antibiotic resistance genes from clinical specimens for routine diagnosis in microbiology laboratories (United States Patent 5,994,066)

Method to detect bacteria (United States Patent 5,985,596)

Detection of antibodies to bacterial antigens by flourescence polarization (United States Patent 5,976,820)

Method for detecting bacteria in a sample (United States Patent 5,968,762)

Simple PCR technique for detecting and differentiating bacterial pathogens (United States Patent 5,958,686)

Method for detecting bacteria using bacteriophage, contrast-coloring dye and precipitable dye (United States Patent 5,958,675)

Detection of fungal pathogens using the polymerase chain reaction (United States Patent 5,955,274)

Primers for the detection of spore forming bacteria (United States Patent 5,928,875)

Nucleic acid-based methods of detecting bacterial o-antigens (United States Patent 7,148,005)

Method and apparatus for detecting phycocyanin-pigmented algae and bacteria from reflected light (United States Patent 7,132,254)

Detection of fecal contamination using nucleic acid molecules that recognize bacterial 16S rDNA sequences (United States Patent 7,118,870)

Nucleic acid, nucleic acid for detecting dechlorination bacteria, probe, method for detecting dechlorination bacteria and method for treating earth or underground water polluted by chlorinated ethylene or chlorinated ethane (United States Patent 7,115,734)

Detection of microbiological growth in a sealed container using a poising agent (United States Patent 7,112,416)

Method of detecting acid-fast bacteria using ribosomal RNA as target (United States Patent 7,090,980)

Detection and identification of bacterial strains (United States Patent 7,087,376)

Detection of fungal pathogens using the polymerase chain reaction (United States Patent 7,060,816)

Detection of wheat and barley fungal pathogens which are resistant to certain fungicides using the polymerase chain reaction (United States Patent 7,041,456)

Bacteriocin-metal complexes in the detection of pathogens and other biological analytes (United States Patent 7,034,113)

Apparatus and method for detecting and classifying chemicals, particles, vira, and bacteria in fluids (United States Patent 7,029,852)

Method for detecting a gram-negative bacterial autoinducer molecule (United States Patent 6,979,696)

Method and device for detecting microbiologically induced corrosion (United States Patent 6,960,288)

Method for detecting a gram-negative bacterial autoinducer molecule (United States Patent 6,958,219)

Detection of bacterial vaginosis (United States Patent 6,951,759)

Rapid method of detection and enumeration of sulfide-producing bacteria in food products (United States Patent 6,908,746)

Materials and methods for molecular detection of clinically relevant pathogenic fungal species (United States Patent 6,872,523)

Rapid microbiological test for the detection of antibacterial compounds (United States Patent 6,867,015)

Nucleic acid probes and methods for detecting clinically important fungal pathogens (United States Patent 6,858,387)

Means for detecting bacteria of the taylorella equigenitalis species and their biological applications (United States Patent 6,858,209)

Direct detection of bacteria-antibody complexes via UV resonance Raman spectroscopy (United States Patent 6,844,199)

Methods for detecting bacteriophage MS2 (United States Patent 6,841,346)

Bacteria detection using immobilized enzyme substrates (United States Patent 6,833,251)

Automated epifluorescence microscopy for detection of bacterial contamination in platelets (United States Patent 6,803,208)

System for detecting bacteria in blood, blood products, and fluids of tissues (United States Patent 6,790,661)

Detection of phenols using engineered bacteria (United States Patent 6,773,918)

Method for detecting bacterial exacerbations of chronic lung disease (United States Patent 6,740,499)

Detection of bacterial kidney disease (United States Patent 6,733,976)

Quantitative assay for the simultaneous detection and speciation of bacterial infections (United States Patent 6,699,670)

Detection and identification of enteric bacteria (United States Patent 6,696,254)

Device and method for detecting, isolating and eliminating hazardous microbiological polluting agents (United States Patent 6,660,227)

Detection of fungal pathogens using the polymerase chain reaction (United States Patent 6,645,720)

Genes for detecting bacteria and detection method by using the same (United States Patent 6,632,642)

Rapid method of detection and enumeration of sulfide-producing bacteria in food products (United States Patent 6,632,632)

Method for improving the growth and colorimetric detection of bacteria, yeasts, fungi or cocci (United States Patent 6,617,126)

Methods of detecting fungus using electromagnetic radiation (United States Patent 6,610,983)

Extraction, amplification and sequential hybridization of fungal cell DNA and process for detection of fungal cells in clinical material (United States Patent 6,605,439)

Real time viability detection of bacterial spores (United States Patent 6,599,715)

Detection of antibodies to bacterial antigens by fluorescence polarization (United States Patent 6,596,546)

Method and apparatus for detecting bacteria (United States Patent 6,589,761)

Method for detecting substances inhibiting the bacterial type III secretion mechanism and function of secretory proteins thereof (United States Patent 6,586,200)

METHOD OF DIAGNOSING IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME AND OTHER DISORDERS CAUSED BY SMALL INTESTINAL BACTERIAL OVERGROWTH BY DETECTING THE PRESENCE OF ANTI-SACCHAROMYCES CERIVISIAE ANTIBODIES (ASCA) IN HUMAN SERUM (United States Patent 6,562,629)

Method for detecting bacteria with bacteriaphage (United States Patent 6,555,312)

Oligonucleotide specific of the Escherichia coli species and method for detecting and displaying bacteria of this species (United States Patent 6,551,776)

Method of detecting sulphate-reducing bacteria (United States Patent 6,531,281)

Process for preparing a reactive pharmaceutical product for the detection of gastrointestinal disorder caused by bacteria in the gastrointestinal superior tract (United States Patent 6,517,809)

Optical sensors for rapid, sensitive detection and quantitation of bacterial spores (United States Patent 6,498,041)

Method and composition for detecting bacterial contamination in food products (United States Patent 6,472,167)

Method for detecting live microbiological contaminants in a food product sample (United States Patent 6,472,149)

Method to detect bacteria (United States Patent 6,461,833)

Reagents and kits for detecting fungal pathogens in a biological sample (United States Patent 6,455,248)

Bacteria and bacteriophage detection using immobilized enzyme substrates (United States Patent 6,436,661)

Use of phage associated lytic enzymes for the rapid detection of bacterial contaminants (United States Patent 6,395,504)

Antibodies for the detection of beer spoilage lactic acid bacteria and kit employing the antibodies (United States Patent 6,395,500)

Methods and compositions for the detection of bacterial endotoxins (United States Patent 6,391,570)

Method and composition for detecting bacterial contamination in food products (United States Patent 6,387,650)

Nucleic acids for detecting Aspergillus species and other filamentous fungi (United States Patent 6,372,430)

Detection of wheat and barley fungal pathogens using the polymerase chain reaction (United States Patent 6,358,680)

Chromogenic substrates for detecting bacterial hydrolases (United States Patent 6,340,573)

Polynucleotide probes for detection and quantitation of bacteria in the family enterobacteriaceae (United States Patent 6,326,486)

Bacteriophages, method for screening same and bactericidal compositions using same, and detection kits using same (United States Patent 6,322,783)

Method for detecting bacteria using PCR (United States Patent 6,312,930)

Bacteriophage-based transgenic fish for mutation detection (United States Patent 6,307,121)

PNA probes, probe sets, methods and kits pertaining to the universal detection of bacteria and eucarya (United States Patent 6,280,946)

Methods and compositions for the detection of bacterial endotoxins (United States Patent 6,270,982)

Method for detecting bacterial nitrite oxidizer (United States Patent 6,268,154)

Method based on the use of bacteriophages for the detection biological molecules in biological samples (United States Patent 6,265,169)

Culture medium for detecting pathogenic bacteria of the genus Listeria and method for identifying said bacteria (United States Patent 6,228,606)

Method for the genus-specific or/and species-specific detection of bacteria in a sample liquid (United States Patent 6,225,094)

Rapid detection of bacteria liquid cultures (United States Patent 6,203,996)

Bacterium detector (United States Patent 6,197,574)

Methods of detection utilizing modified bacteriophage (United States Patent 6,190,856)

Nucleic acid probes for the detection and identification of fungi (United States Patent 6,180,339)

Method for rapid detection of bacterial growth in cultures (United States Patent 6,165,741)

Method of detecting bacterial infection (United States Patent 6,165,736)

Biochemical detection system for rapid determination of the presence of toxins, bacteria, and other substances (United States Patent 6,146,591)

Method for detecting microorganisms by separation and culture on a gelled system, gelled system and assay kit therefor, and use thereof in microbiology (United States Patent 6,107,053)

Rapid two-stage polymerase chain reaction method for detection of lactic acid bacteria in beer (United States Patent 6,103,468)

Method of detecting DNA encoding a .beta.-glucosidase from a filamentous fungus (United States Patent 6,103,464)

Detecting eubacteria and fungus and determining their antibiotic sensitivity by using catalytically inactive murein binding enzymes (United States Patent 6,090,573)

Detection of bacteria of genus Listeria using nucleic probe hybridization techniques (United States Patent 6,090,551)

Method and device for detecting bacteriophage using contrast-coloring and precipitable dyes (United States Patent 6,090,541)

Oligonucleotides for detection of Bacillus cereus group bacteria harmful to mammals, and method of detection with the oligonucleotides (United States Patent 6,087,104)

Methods for detecting shigella bacteria or antibodies to shigella bacteria with an immunoassay (United States Patent 6,083,683)

Detection of fungal pathogens (United States Patent 6,080,543)

Methods for detecting Campylobacter bacteria or antibodies to Campylobacter bacteria with an immunoassay (United States Patent 6,077,678)

Detection and differentiation of mycobacterium tuberculosis complex bacteria by direct variant repeat oligotyping (United States Patent 6,074,820)

Polynucleotides and their use for detecting enterococci and streptococci bacterial strains (United States Patent 6,054,269)

Sequential hybridization of fungal cell DNA and method for the detection of fungal cells in clinical material (United States Patent 6,046,006)

Bacteria for preparing stable fusion proteins and methods for detecting the same (United States Patent 6,040,141)

Species specific and universal DNA probes and amplification primers to rapidly detect and identify common bacterial pathogens and associated antibiotic resistance genes from clinical specimens for routine diagnosis in microbiology laboratories (United States Patent 6,001,564)

Method and kit for rapid detection of toxins and bacteria (United States Patent 5,994,067)

Species-specific and universal DNA probes and amplification primers to rapidly detect and identify common bacterial pathogens and associated antibiotic resistance genes from clinical specimens for routine diagnosis in microbiology laboratories (United States Patent 5,994,066)

Method to detect bacteria (United States Patent 5,985,596)

Detection of antibodies to bacterial antigens by flourescence polarization (United States Patent 5,976,820)

Method for detecting bacteria in a sample (United States Patent 5,968,762)

Simple PCR technique for detecting and differentiating bacterial pathogens (United States Patent 5,958,686)

Method for detecting bacteria using bacteriophage, contrast-coloring dye and precipitable dye (United States Patent 5,958,675)

Detection of fungal pathogens using the polymerase chain reaction (United States Patent 5,955,274)

Primers for the detection of spore forming bacteria (United States Patent 5,928,875)

Although his recognition as a registered patent agent permits him to represent others in all patent matters before the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Dr. Demchick limits his practice to patent matters involving inventions for which he is confident that his expertise will allow him to serve his client well. He will gladly discuss whether he is comfortable handling cases involving inventions in a particular field. He will err on the side of declining cases if he has uncertainty about his ability to do what is needed in the case. Dr. Demchick does not represent clients in court. However, he refers clients to a patent attorney who does represent others in court, if it appears likely that patent related representation in court is appropriate. Dr. Demchick prepares and files non-provisional (regular) patent applications and provisional patent applications. He prepares and files utility patent applications and design patent applications. He prepares and files U.S. patent applications and international patent applications under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT). He prepares and files applications to enter the U.S. National Phase for inventions for which international patent applications (PCT) were already filed. One of the matters he discusses with each client or potential client is which type of application(s) best meets that client's needs. He usually does a patent search (patentability search) as part of the preparation of a patent application. He discusses the value of patent searching with each inventor before agreeing to prepare a patent application for that inventor.