Evaluation and comparison of two Stuart's liquid swab transport systems tested by the CLSI M40 method.

The Copan Diagnostics HealthLink Transporter swab and the Remel Bacti-Swab were evaluated by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute M40-A quantitative swab elution method for maintenance of bacterial viability of six ATCC and six clinical strains. Acceptable levels of viability according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute criteria were maintained for all organisms tested with the HealthLink Transporter swab and for 8 of 12 organisms tested with the Bacti-Swab. In this study, the HealthLink Transporter swab maintained organism viability better than the Bacti-Swab.