Performance evaluation of Puritan® universal transport system (UniTranz-RT™) for preservation and transport of clinical viruses

Abstract

The ability of a non-propagating microbial transport medium to maintain the viability of clinically relevant viruses was compared to a similar commercial medium to establish performance equivalence. Two dilutions of stock of test viruses, namely adenovirus (AdV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), echovirus Type 30 (EV), herpes simplex virus (HSV) types 1 and 2, influenza A, parainfluenza 3 (PIV), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and varicella zoster virus (VZV), were spiked into Puritan® Medical Products Company Universal Transport System (UniTranz-RT™) and BD(TM) Universal Viral Transport System (UVT) and incubated at 4 °C and room temperature (RT) for up to 72 hr. Post incubation assessment of recovery of AdV, EV, HSV-2, PIV, and VZV from UniTranz-RT™ and UVT using shell vial assays followed by immunofluorescence staining demonstrated statistically significant differences between both transport media. In general, significantly higher recoveries of AdV, EV, and VZV were found from UniTranz-RT™ than UVT whereas HSV-2 and PIV were recovered better from UVT than UniTranz-RT™, under specific test conditions. The recovery of HSV-1, influenza A, PIV, and RSV showed no significant differences between transport media. Sulforhodamine B-based assay analysis of UniTranz-RT™ lots prior to and at expiration exhibited no cytotoxicity. The overall results of the study validate the full performance of UniTranz-RT™ as a viral transport medium and establish its effectiveness on par with the UVT.

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“…Transport medium and transport considerations. Viral transport medium or universal transport medium facilitates viral culture, direct fluorescent-antibody (DFA) testing (181), rapid antigen detection tests (RADTs) (182), and molecular testing (181,183,184). Stability guidelines outlined in the package insert (storage at room temperature, refrigeration, or freezing) should be used as per the manufacturer's instructions.…”

Characterization of children with recurrent eczema herpeticum and response to treatment with interferon‐gamma

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Carryover effects of baloxavir acid in human nasopharyngeal/pharyngeal swabs on infectious titer testing of influenza virus

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