The need for safe specimen transportation and testing in areas with limited biological containment facilities has become increasingly urgent. SIGMA-MM™ has demonstrated effectiveness in inactivating various microorganisms, including RNA viruses like Influenza and SARS-CoV-2, while preserving nucleic acids for identification. In response to the Mpox outbreak in non-endemic countries in 2022, we aimed to test the efficacy of SIGMA MM™ in inactivating the Mpox virus, ensuring the safe transport of samples for qPCR testing.
The study focused on Orthopoxviruses, a group of large DNA viruses known for their resistance to disinfectants and environmental stability. Results showed that all three lots of SIGMA-MM™ under four different conditions completely inactivated the Mpox virus, with no plaques observed in any serial dilutions or undiluted resuspended pellets. In contrast, the control samples had an average titre of 5.06×10² to 1.32×10³ PFU/mL. These findings confirm that SIGMA-MM™ effectively inactivates the Mpox virus, supporting its use for safe sample transportation and testing.
Click for Full Poster: Evaluating the Efficacy of SIGMA MM™ Transport Medium for the Inactivation of Mpox Virus