SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPTICAL DETECTION AND IDENTIFICATION OF PATHOGENS IN A THIN LAYER OF FLUID

A method and system for optical detection and identification of pathogens in a thin layer of fluid, are provided herein. The system may include: a consumable part comprising: a fluid reservoir; a pathogen trap in fluid communication with the fluid reservoir; and a base attached to the fluid reservoir; and an electro-optical part comprising: a generally coherent light source for directing a generally a coherent light beam at the flat surface at an angle selected to cause total internal reflection of the generally coherent light beam at the surface and an evanescent wave penetrating the fluid; a camera facing the surface for capturing light scattering being scattered off the pathogens on the pathogen trap due to an interaction with the evanescent wave, forming a speckle image; and a computer processor configured to analyze the speckle image, to detect and identify pathogens in a fluid inserted into the fluid reservoir.