MadSci Network: Microbiology
Query:

Re: Can a bacteria swab be stored up to 24 hours before adding to Ager?

Date: Tue May 8 12:31:50 2012
Posted By: Billy Carver, Grad student, Biomedical Sciences, Vanderbilt University
Area of science: Microbiology
ID: 1331305987.Mi
Message:

Hi Anthony

I've looked into the question you've asked, and I think the answer is probably that you can't really effectively store a swab without losing a great deal of bacteria. Many biological supply companies produce products that are supposed to help preserve bacteria on swabs from the time they are collected until they can reach a medical microbiology technician. Even these sophisticated products, which use inert gasses and growth medium, can't prevent substantial loss of bacterial cells over several hours of time. Streptococcus pneumoniae, a Gram positive bacterium that can cause pneumonia, lost between 56 and 89% viability after 24 hours of storage with refrigeration (between 17 and 63% viability was lost after just six hours).

Certain bacteria are especially prone to death if they are stored over time. Other bacteria lost as much as 98% viability after six hours refrigeration and remember, these were in special devices engineered to prevent loss of bacteria!

If you swab your dog's mouth and then wait before inoculating an agar plate, some bacteria will survive. But you will undoubtedly lose some variety of bacteria.

Thanks for your question!

Wilson DA, Tuohy MS, Procop GW, and Hall GS.
Effects of storage temperature on the recovery of bacteria from three swab transport systems: BD CultureSwab and BD Culturette (BD Diagnostics Systems, Sparks, MD) and Starplex Starswab II (Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada).
ASM 101st General Meeting. Orlando, FL. May 2001, Poster Session 29/C. Specimen Collection, Transportation and Processing.
www.copaninnovation.com/studies/download.php?id=624


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