This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Rubin, L. G.
Right arrow Articles by Baer, A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Rubin, L. G.
Right arrow Articles by Baer, A.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, August 2008, p. 2635-2640, Vol. 46, No. 8
0095-1137/08/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.01903-07
Copyright © 2008, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Effect of Swab Composition and Use of Swabs versus Swab-Containing Skim Milk-Tryptone-Glucose-Glycerol (STGG) on Culture- or PCR-Based Detection of Streptococcus pneumoniae in Simulated and Clinical Respiratory Specimens in STGG Transport Medium{triangledown}

Lorry G. Rubin,* Atqia Rizvi, and Aryeh Baer{dagger}

Feinstein Institute for Medical Research and Schneider Children's Hospital of the North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, New Hyde Park, New York

Received 24 September 2007/ Returned for modification 18 March 2008/ Accepted 9 June 2008

To detect Streptococcus pneumoniae colonization, the nasopharynx is sampled using a swab placed in skim milk-tryptone-glucose-glycerol (STGG) transport medium, and then the swab specimen or STGG medium is cultured or subjected to PCR. We evaluated the effect of swab composition and compared the sensitivities of detection of culture and PCR using swabs and swab-containing medium. Calcium alginate, Dacron polyester, or rayon-tipped swabs were inoculated with pneumococci or were immersed in nasal wash specimens from children and then placed in STGG medium. Swabs and medium inoculated with pneumococci were cultured. Swabs grew significantly more colonies than medium. The number of colonies cultured from rayon swabs or medium was significantly higher than the number cultured from the calcium alginate swab or medium. The number of colonies from both the Dacron polyester swabs and medium were significantly lower than with either calcium alginate or rayon swabs. When DNA was separately extracted from the calcium alginate swab and medium and subjected to PCR for pneumococcal detection from either S. pneumoniae-inoculated swabs or clinical specimens that grew S. pneumoniae, the sensitivity was at least 10 times higher using the swab. With Dacron polyester or rayon-tipped swabs, there was no consistent difference between the sensitivity of PCR using swabs and that of PCR using medium. Thus, calcium alginate swabs may be superior to STGG medium for the culture and PCR-based detection of S. pneumoniae. For culture, rayon swabs are superior and Dacron polyester swabs are inferior. The sensitivity of the swab and swab-containing medium for culture or PCR detection of S. pneumoniae varies with swab composition.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Schneider Children's Hospital, Room 365, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, 269-01 76th Avenue, New Hyde Park, NY 11040. Phone: (718) 470-3415. Fax: (718) 470-0887. E-mail: lrubin{at}lij.edu

{triangledown} Published ahead of print on 18 June 2008.

{dagger} Present address: The Joseph M. Sanzari Children's Hospital, Hackensack University Medical Center, 30 Prospect Avenue, Hackensack, NJ 07601.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, August 2008, p. 2635-2640, Vol. 46, No. 8
0095-1137/08/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.01903-07
Copyright © 2008, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Loens, K., Van Heirstraeten, L., Malhotra-Kumar, S., Goossens, H., Ieven, M. (2009). Optimal Sampling Sites and Methods for Detection of Pathogens Possibly Causing Community-Acquired Lower Respiratory Tract Infections. J. Clin. Microbiol. 47: 21-31 [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»