MULTI-ANALYTE ASSAY

1 . A lateral flow device for detecting bacteria in a sample, the device comprising a flow path for the sample and further comprising a pan-generic binding agent that specifically binds a bacterial antigen, wherein the pan-generic binding agent is immobilized on a population of particularly-sized colored particles; and a capture binding agent that captures the population of particles, wherein the capture binding agent is immobilized on the flow path, and wherein the population of detectable particles are disposed along the flow path such that the sample contacts the population of colored particles before contacting the capture binding agent.

2 . The device according to claim 63 , wherein the detectable particle is a colored particle selected from one or more of gold, silver and platinum particles.

3 . The device according to claim 2 , wherein the colored particle is a gold particle

4 . The device according to claim 2 , wherein the particle is from about 60 to about 120 nm in diameter.

5 . The device according to claim 4 , wherein the particle is about 80 nm in diameter.

6 . The device according to claim 3 , wherein the particle is from about 60 to about 120 nm in diameter.

7 . The device according to claim 6 , wherein the particle about 80 nm in diameter.

9 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the binding agent is a pan-generic antibody.

10 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the pan-generic binding agent specifically binds a Gram-positive bacterial antigen.

11 . The device according to claim 10 , wherein the pan-generic binding agent is a polyclonal antibody that binds lipoteichoic acid (LTA).

12 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the pan-generic binding agent specifically binds a Gram-negative bacterial antigen.

13 . The device according to claim 12 , wherein the pan-generic binding agent is a pan-generic polyclonal antibody that binds a bacterial lipopolysaccharide structure (LPS).

14 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one pan-generic binding agent specifically binds a Gram-positive bacterial antigen and at least one pan-generic binding agent specifically binds a Gram-negative bacterial antigen.

15 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the pan-generic binding agent binds three or more genera of bacteria.

16 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the pan-generic binding agent is immobilized on the colored particle via a linker.

17 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the pan-generic binding agent comprises two or more pan-generic antibodies, wherein each pan-generic antibody specifically binds a bacterial antigen, wherein each pan-generic antibody is immobilized on a separate subpopulation of colored particles; and wherein at least one pan-generic antibody is immobilized on a population of particularly sized colored particles.

18 . The device according to claim 9 , wherein the pan-generic antibody is selected from one or more of a polyclonal antibody and a monoclonal antibody.

19 . The device according to claim 18 , wherein the pan-generic antibody is polyclonal and binds a plurality of bacterial antigens.

20 . The device according to claim 18 , wherein the pan-generic antibody is polyclonal and binds a plurality of Gram-positive bacterial antigens.

21 . The device according to claim 18 , wherein the pan-generic antibody is polyclonal and binds a plurality of Gram-negative bacterial antigens.

22 . The device according to claim 17 , wherein at least one pan-generic antibody is a monoclonal pan-generic antibody and at least one pan-generic antibody is a polyclonal pan-generic antibody.

23 . The device according to claim 22 , wherein the pan-generic antibody specifically binds a Gram-positive bacterial antigen.

24 . The device according to claim 22 , wherein the pan-generic antibody specifically binds a Gram-negative bacterial antigen.

25 . The device according to claim 17 , wherein at least one pan-generic antibody specifically binds a Gram-positive bacterial antigen and at least one pan-generic antibody specifically binds a Gram-negative bacterial antigen.

26 . The device according to claim 17 , wherein the pan-generic antibody binds three or more genera of bacteria.

27 . The device according to claim 17 , wherein the pan-generic antibody is immobilized on the colored particle via a linker.

28 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the device comprises at least three pan-generic binding agents that specifically bind a Gram-positive bacterial antigen, each pan-generic binding agent immobilized on a separate subpopulation of colored particles; and at least three pan-generic binding agents that specifically bind a Gram-negative bacterial antigen, each pan-generic binding agent immobilized on a separate subpopulation of colored particles.

29 . The device according to claim 28 , wherein each subpopulation of particles is selected from one or more of gold, silver and platinum particles.

30 . The device according to claim 29 , wherein each subpopulation of particles is a gold particle.

31 . The device according to claim 28 , wherein at least one pan-generic binding agent is an antibody.

32 . The device according to claim 31 , wherein at least one pan-generic antibody is a monoclonal antibody.

33 . The device according to claim 28 , wherein the subpopulations of particles are of different sizes.

34 . The device according to claim 33 , wherein at least one gold particle population comprises a particle from about 60 nm to about 120 nm in diameter.

35 . The device according to claim 34 , wherein at least one gold particle population comprises an 80 nm gold particle.

36 . The device according to claim 33 , wherein at least one gold particle population comprises a 40 nm gold particle.

37 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the capture binding agent is a pan-generic antibody that specifically binds a bacterial antigen.

38 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the capture binding agent is the same as the pan-generic binding agent.

39 . The device according to claim 37 , wherein the capture binding agent is immobilized in two or more locations on the sample flow path.

40 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the sample flow path is an absorbent membrane.

41 . The device according to claim 40 , wherein the absorbent membrane is nitrocellulose.

42 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the colored particles are dried within a solid support surface disposed above the absorbent membrane and in contact with the upper surface of the membrane.

43 . A method for detecting bacteria in a sample, comprising contacting the sample with a pan-generic binding agent specific for a bacterial antigen, wherein the pan-generic binding agent is immobilized on an particularly-sized colored particle, and wherein the sample is contacted with the pan-generic binding agent under conditions that permit binding between the pan-generic binding agent and the antigen, and further comprising contacting an immobilized capture binding agent with the colored particle under conditions that permit binding between the immobilized capture binding agent and the colored particle with the pan-generic binding agent, wherein capture of the colored particle with the pan-generic binding agent by the capture binding agent indicates the presence of bacteria in the sample.

44 . The method according to claim 43 , further comprising adding soluble pan-generic binding agent to the sample.

45 . The method according to claim 43 , wherein the method comprises contacting a device according to claim 1 with a sample under conditions that permit binding of the capture antibody to the colored particle with the pan-generic antibody, wherein capture of the particle by the capture antibody indicates the presence of bacteria in the sample.

46 . The method according to claim 43 , wherein the sample has been pre-treated.

47 . The method according to claim 45 , wherein the capture binding agent binds to the pan-generic antibody.

48 . The method according to claim 43 , wherein the sample is blood or a blood product.

49 . The method according to claim 48 , wherein the blood or blood product is selected from the group consisting of: whole blood, leukocytes, hematopoietic stem cells, platelets, red blood cells, plasma, bone marrow and serum.

50 . The method according to claim 43 , wherein the sample is a dialysis sample.

51 . The method according to claim 42 , wherein the dialysis sample is selected from hemodialysis fluid and peritoneal dialysis fluid.

52 . The method according to claim 43 , wherein the sample is a sample of fluid in which a tissue has been stored.

53 . The method according to claim 44 , wherein the tissue is selected from the group consisting of: blood cell cultures, stem cell cultures, bone and cartilage graft materials.

54 . A reagent for use in a binding assay comprising a particle selected from a gold particle, a silver particle and a platinum particle, wherein the particle size is from about 60 nm to about 120 nm, and wherein the particle is bound to a multivalent binding agent.

55 . The reagent according to claim 54 , wherein the particle size is about 80 nm.

56 . The reagent according to claim 54 , wherein the pan-generic binding agent is bound to the particle via a linker.

57 . The reagent according to claim 56 , wherein the linker is selected from protein A, protein G and protein L.

58 . The reagent according to claim 57 , wherein the linker is protein A.

59 . The reagent according to claim 54 , wherein the particle is a gold particle.

60 . The method according to claim 54 , wherein the multivalent binding agent is a pan-generic binding agent.

61 . A method for detecting a substance in a multianalyte sample comprising mixing the sample with a reagent according to claim 54 , wherein binding of the substance to the reagent creates a detectable complex; and detecting the complex.

62 . The method according to claim 59 , wherein the method is an immunoassay.

63 . The lateral flow device of claim 1 , wherein the detectable particle is selected from chemiluminescent, a luminescent, a fluorescent, a magnetic or a colored particle.