Microbiology Collection Device and ISO15189: An Appropriate Selection

Evaluation of multiple swab transport systems assessed their ability to preserve viability of fastidious organisms under delayed processing, in line with CLSI M40-A2 standards. Standardised ATCC strains were inoculated onto swabs and stored at 4°C and 21°C for up to 48 hours before quantitative culture and comparison with baseline counts. Recovery varied significantly between devices and conditions, with M40-compliant swabs showing the best preservation of organism viability, particularly for fastidious species. Refrigeration improved recovery across all systems. The findings highlight transport swab selection as a key pre-analytical factor affecting diagnostic yield and risk of organism loss during transit.