System and cartridge for efficient nucleic acid testing

Abstract

A disposable and inexpensive biological diagnostic cartridge for the amplification and detection of nucleic acids includes a configuration having a reaction pouch for amplification which is compressed by a flexible pump pouch for detection of the amplified reaction.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A biological diagnostic cartridge comprising:
 an inlet;   a flexible reaction pouch downstream of the inlet;   a flexible pump pouch adapted to compress the flexible reaction pouch; and   a detection chamber downstream of the flexible reaction pouch.   
     
     
         2 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first fluid path from the inlet to the flexible reaction pouch, and   a second fluid path from the flexible reaction pouch to the detection chamber.   
     
     
         3 . The cartridge of  claim 2 , wherein each of the first and second fluid paths is one-directional. 
     
     
         4 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , further comprising a pump adapted to inflate the flexible pump pouch. 
     
     
         5 . The cartridge of  claim 4 , further comprising a housing. 
     
     
         6 . The cartridge of  claim 5 , further comprising
 a housing; and   a pump adapted to inflate the flexible pump pouch, wherein the housing comprises a port for receiving the pump.   
     
     
         7 . The cartridge of  claim 6 , wherein the pump comprises an electrolytic pump adapted to generate gas. 
     
     
         8 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , further comprising an overflow pool adjacent to the detection chamber. 
     
     
         9 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the pump pouch overlays the flexible reaction pouch. 
     
     
         10 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , further comprising a one-way valve downstream of the reaction pouch and upstream of the detection chamber. 
     
     
         11 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , further comprising at least a flow strip situated in the detection chamber. 
     
     
         12 . The cartridge of  claim 1  further comprising a vent downstream of the inlet and upstream of the reaction pouch. 
     
     
         13 . The cartridge of  claim 12 , wherein the vent comprises a hydrophobic barrier. 
     
     
         14 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the pump pouch contains a fluid. 
     
     
         15 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , further comprising a second inlet, a second flexible reaction pouch downstream of the second inlet, a second flexible pump pouch adapted to compress the second flexible reaction pouch, a second detection chamber downstream of the second flexible reaction pouch. 
     
     
         16 . The cartridge of  claim 15 , further comprising a second flow strip. 
     
     
         17 . The cartridge of  claim 16 , wherein the second flow strip is arranged antiparallel or parallel to a first flow strip.