Abstract
Rising healthcare complications due to fungal infections increase the importance of efficient specimen collection and maintenance systems for correct identification and diagnosis. The CLSI M40-A2 protocol provides guidelines for laboratories assessing quality of medical transport devices, including swab transport systems (STS). This study assessed the efficiency of the Sigma Transwab® foam and flock swab in recovering and maintaining viability of different Candida spp. including C. auris, in different test conditions. Both swab types recovered and maintained viability of all Candida spp. with greater CFU at room temperature after incubation (24 and 48 h) in comparison with swabs maintained at 4 °C.
Highlights
Invasive fungal diseases are a major global health problem with mortality rates between 30 and 90% and a large proportion of these diseases caused by of Aspergillus, Cryptococcus, Candida, or Pneumocystis [1]
All strains of Candida, including C. auris, were successfully recovered by both foam, flocked swabs at room temperature and at 4 °C, and were found to be complaint with the M40-A2 criteria (Table 1)
At time 0, there was no significant difference between the CFU between the Candida spp. recovered using both flock and foam swabs at room temperature and at 4 °C; after incubation for 24 h and 48 h, the CFU of the test organisms at room temperature was consistently greater than those grown at 4 °C (Fig. 1)
Summary
Invasive fungal diseases are a major global health problem with mortality rates between 30 and 90% and a large proportion of these diseases caused by of Aspergillus, Cryptococcus, Candida, or Pneumocystis [1]. In the study by Gizzie and Adukwu [14], the authors showed that both flock and foam Sigma Transwab®, swab types, were efficient at recovering and maintaining the recommended organisms in the M40-A2 standard including the difficult pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoea. The focus of this current study was to assess and compare these two swab types, Sigma Transwab® foam and flocked swab, for maintenance of viability and recovery of different Candida spp., including C. auris in vitro. This investigation is important as transport, maintenance and recovery of clinically important fungal
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