Integrated screening and confirmation device
View Patent ↗The present invention provides a fluid collection and drug testing device that includes a fluid collector, to collect a fluid sample, and a housing to test and retain the fluid sample. The housing includes a collection chamber, having an open end to receive the fluid collector, at least one membrane test strip, in fluid communication with the collection chamber, to indicate the presence or absence of at least one test drug, and an immunoassay-based fingerprint acquisition pad, in fluid communication with the collection chamber, to positively identify the test subject and associate the test subject with the fluid sample.
1. A fluid collection and drug testing device, comprising:
a fluid collector to collect a fluid sample; and
a housing, to test and retain the fluid sample, including:
a collection chamber, having an open end, to receive the fluid collector,
at least one membrane test strip, in fluid communication with the collection chamber, to indicate the presence or absence of at least one test drug, and
an immunoassay-based fingerprint acquisition pad in fluid communication with the collection chamber.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a test cartridge chamber, having a portion in fluid communication with the collection chamber, to receive and secure a test cartridge within the device, the test cartridge containing said at least one membrane test strip.
3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the fluid collector includes:
a first disk, located at a distal end of a central shaft, having a first circumferential seal;
a handle attached to an upper surface of the first disk;
a second disk, located at a proximal end of the central shaft, having a second circumferential seal; and
a sponge, attached to a lower surface of the second disk, to absorb the fluid sample.
4. The device of claim 3 , wherein an inner surface of the collection chamber includes an upper annular projection, proximate to the open end, to secure the fluid collector within the collection chamber after the fluid collector has been inserted into the collection chamber.
5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the fluid collector includes a plurality of projections, attached to the upper surface of the first disk, to cooperate with the annular projection and secure the fluid collector within the collection chamber after the fluid collector has been inserted into the collection chamber.
6. The device of claim 4 , wherein the handle is removably attached to the upper surface of the first disk.
7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the immunoassay-based fingerprint acquisition pad includes:
at least one control zone including a control reagent to identify the fluid sample donor, the reagent including a member of a predetermined ligand/receptor binding pair; and
a plurality of reaction zones, each of which includes a reaction reagent to determine the presence of a specific test drug in the fluid sample, the reaction reagent including a member of a predetermined ligand/receptor binding pair.
8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the immunoassay-based fingerprint acquisition pad is enclosed by a lockable cover attached to the housing.
9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the fluid collector sponge is saturated with a saliva producing substance.
10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the saliva producing substance includes citric acid and sodium chloride.
11. The device of claim 1 , wherein said at least one membrane test strip includes:
a dye region, disposed at a proximal end of the membrane test strip, including colloidal gold particles coated with mouse monoclonal antibodies specific to each of said at least one test drug;
a control region, disposed at a distal end of the membrane strip, including goat polyclonal antibodies against gold-protein conjugate; and
a test region, disposed between the dye region and the control region, including a drug-protein conjugate specific to each of said at least one test drug.
12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the control region displays a visual indicator when the first volume of fluid received from the fluid collector is above a predetermined threshold and proper membrane wicking has occurred.
13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the predetermined threshold is 200 microliters.
14. The device of claim 11 , wherein the test region displays a visual indicator when the concentration of the membrane test drug in the fluid sample is below a predetermined threshold.
15. The device of claim 1 , wherein said at least one membrane test strip identifies the presence or absence of a specific test drug within the fluid sample, including amphetamine, methamphetamine, a cocaine metabolite, an opiate, THC-COOH and phencyclidine.
16. The device of claim 15 , wherein the absence of the specific test drug is indicated by the presence of a visual indicator on the membrane strip.
17. The device of claim 15 , wherein the presence of a test drug is indicated by the absence of a visual indicator on the membrane strip.
18. A fluid collection and testing device, comprising:
a fluid collector, to collect a fluid sample, including:
a first disk, located at a distal end of a central shaft, having a first circumferential seal,
a handle attached to an upper surface of the first disk,
a second disk, located at a proximal end of the central shaft, having a second circumferential seal, and
a sponge, attached to a lower surface of the second disk, to absorb the fluid sample; and
a housing, including:
a collection chamber, having an open end, to receive the fluid collector,
at least one membrane test strip in fluid communication with the collection chamber, and
an immunoassay-based fingerprint acquisition pad.
19. The device of claim 18 , further comprising a fluid passage coupling a lower portion of the collection chamber to a middle portion of the collection chamber.
20. The device of claim 19 , wherein the region between the first disk and the second disk forms a confirmation chamber within the middle portion of the collection chamber when the fluid collector is secured within the collection chamber.
21. The device of claim 20 , further comprising a sealable opening, disposed in an outer wall of the housing, coupled to the confirmation chamber.
22. A fluid collection and testing device, comprising:
a fluid collector, to collect a fluid sample, comprising a first disk, located at a distal end of a central shaft, having a first circumferential seal, a handle attached to an upper surface of the first disk, a second disk, located at a proximal end of the central shaft, having a second circumferential seal, and a sponge, attached to a lower surface of the second disk, to absorb the fluid sample; and
a housing, including:
a collection chamber, having an open end, to receive the fluid collector,
at least one membrane test strip in fluid communication with the collection chamber, and
an inkless fingerprint acquisition pad.