Comparison of three transport systems (Starplex StarSwab II, the new Copan Vi-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 agents is proper specimen transport to the clinical laboratory. In the present study we compared three transport systems (the new Starplex StarSwab II, the new Copan Vi-Pak Amies Agar Gel collection and transport swabs, and the BBL Port-A-Cul) for survival of anaerobic and fastidious aerobic bacteria. The new Copan Vi-Pak system has been modified by nitrogen gas flushing to keep an ideal low E(h) condition and to prevent oxidation of the transport medium. The Copan Vi-Pak system outperformed the other two swabs evaluated by maintaining the viabilities of both anaerobic and fastidious aerobic bacteria for 24 h for the majority of the organisms evaluated. This time period should be sufficient for transport of specimens to the clinical microbiology laboratory without compromising organism recovery.