Fontana C, Favaro M, Limongi D, Pivonkova J, Favalli C, et al.
BMC research notes. Date of publication 2009 Dec 10;volume 2():244.
1. BMC Res Notes. 2009 Dec 10;2:244. doi: 10.1186/1756-0500-2-244.
Comparison of the eSwab collection and transportation system to an amies gel
transystem for Gram stain of clinical specimens.
Fontana C(1), Favaro M, Limongi D, Pivonkova J, Favalli C.
Author information:
(1)Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Sciences, "Tor Vergata"
University of Rome, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy.
carla.fontana@uniroma2.it.
BACKGROUND: The first step in routine microbiology laboratory procedures is the
collection and safe transportation of swab samples. This can be accomplished
using ESwab Collection and Transport System (Copan Italia, Brescia -Italy). The
aim of the present study was to compare the results of microscopic examination of
gram stain smears prepared directly from clinical specimens, collected and
transported in the ESwab, with those obtained using Amies Agar gel Transystem
without charcoal (Copan).
FINDINGS: Specimens were collected from 80 patients (32 vaginal swabs, 27
cervical swabs, 11 urethral swabs and 10 wound swabs). Two swabs were in random
order collected from each patient, one using the conventional Amies gel
Transystem, the other using ESwab. One slide was prepared for each specimen using
the conventional swab and two sets of slides were prepared from the specimens
collected with the ESwab: one using 100 mul and one using 50 mul of the Amies
medium. All slides were gram stained using an automated Gram stainer. Microscopic
examination of 240 slides (80 with conventional and 160 with ESwab) showed that
the quality of smear preparation from the ESwab system, allowed for easier
identification of human cells and identification of greater number of
microorganisms. Microscopic examination of additional slides prepared from ESwab
at 24 or 72 hours after initial collection were equivalent to those prepared when
received in the laboratory within 2 hours of collection.
CONCLUSION: Microscopic examination performed using ESwab, especially when
preparing the slides with 100 mul, shows superior results to those obtained using
the Amies gel Transystem.
DOI: 10.1186/1756-0500-2-244
PMCID: PMC2797518
PMID: 20003247
