Comparison of three transport systems (Starplex StarSwab II, the new CopanVi-Pak Amies Agar Gel collection and transport swabs, and BBL Port-A-Cul) for maintenance of anaerobic and fastidious aerobic organisms

Of utmost importance in evaluations of clinical samples for infectious agen ts is proper specimen transport to the clinical laboratory. In the present study we compared three transport systems (the new Starplex StarSwab II, th e new Copan Vi-Pak Amies Agar Gel collection and transport swabs, and the B BL Port-A-Cul) for survival of anaerobic and fastidious aerobic bacteria. T he new Copan Vi-Pak system has been modified by nitrogen gas flushing to ke ep an ideal low E-h condition and to prevent oxidation of the transport med ium. The Copan Vi-Pak system outperformed the other two swabs evaluated by maintaining the viabilities of both anaerobic and fastidious aerobic bacter ia for 24 h for the majority of the organisms evaluated. This time period s hould be sufficient for transport of specimens to the clinical microbiology laboratory without compromising organism recovery.