Universal screening of all pregnant women at 35 to 37 weeks gestation for vaginorectal colonization to prevent early onset group B streptococcus (GBS) disease is now a widely adopted practice. Optimal confirmation of GBS colonization is facilitated by the appropriate collection and transport of the clinical specimen to the laboratory. Swab systems have become increasingly important due to the delay of specimen transport necessitated by recent strategies of cost-containment and consolidation of laboratory services. Specimens may be in transit for long durations, and the integrity of the specimen may be compromised. Performance of swab transport systems therefore is essential for accurate laboratory diagnosis and timely treatment of GBS disease. However, few published comparative studies exist. A new study in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology compared the performance of ESwab with traditional Amies transport swabs and found Copan ESwab was superior to Amies at all temperatures evaluated but especially at room temperature conditions (21^°C and 24^°C).

Superior transport and preservation of Group B Streptococcus and many other clinically important bacteria in ESwab is by virtue of the improved transport medium formulation and dramatically improved fluid dynamics thanks to the flocked swab incorporated in each ESwab collection kit. ESwab kits comprise of a tube containing 1ml of modified Liquid Amies Medium and a flocked swab. The invention of flocked swabs by Copan results in a significantly greater volume of sample uptake and complete sample elution into the transport medium. This improved fluid dynamics combined with ESwab preservation medium ensures superior preservation and detection of bacteria in clinical samples.

Sample collection, preservation and transport play a critical role in obtaining reliable test results for patients. "We recognize that though our products may be used at the beginning of the process, there is a human being waiting on accurate and timely results at the end. The combination of Copan flocked swabs with ESwab and UTM liquid transport medium has made a significant contribution to improve the quality of specimen collection and laboratory test results" says Norman Sharples, CEO and Co-Founder of Copan Diagnostics Inc.

Click here to see the Journal of Clinical Microbiology article. Copan holds patents for flocked swabs in the United States, Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and China.