An Investigation of the Suitability of Liquid Transport Medium for Recovery of Enteric from Faecal Specimens

This study evaluated SIGMA-FECAL TRANSWAB® and SIGMA-FECAL TRANSWAB® PF for compatibility with the BD MAX™ Enteric Parasite Panel for molecular detection of Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium using 22 confirmed positive stool specimens. Both foam-tipped and PurFlock® formats demonstrated complete agreement with original stool specimen results, correctly identifying all positive samples with no false-positive results in negative controls. Although cycle threshold (Ct) values were slightly elevated due to dilution within the transport medium, analytical sensitivity and detection reliability were maintained across all specimens. Overall, the findings demonstrate that SIGMA-FECAL TRANSWAB® provides a robust and compatible specimen collection system for PCR-based parasitological diagnostics, supporting a unified sampling approach for bacterial, viral, and parasitic causes of infectious gastroenteritis.