Table A3.

How to store the samples?

Preservation method	Cost	IATA shipping regulation	Compatibility for hosts studies				Compatibility for molecular microbial studies
			RNA	DNA	Microscopy/TEM	Histology	RNA viruses	DNA viruses	Bacteria and Archaea	Eukaryotic microorganisms
Freezing at −20 °C	$	Dry ice; packing instruction 904	N	Y	N	N	N	Y	Y	Y
Freezing at −80 °C	$ $ $	Liquid N2 not permitted; dry shippers exemption A152	Y	Y	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y
RNALater (×freezing)	$ $	None	Y	N	N	N	N*	N	Y	Y
TriZol(+freezing)	$ $	Corrosive liquid n.o.s., hazard class 8	Y	Y	N	N	**	**	**	**
Formalin	$	DG class II	N	N	Y	Y	N	N	N	N
≥95% ethanol	$	Exempted quantities	Y*	Y	N	N	Y*	Y	Y	Y

Appropriate preservation and storage of the samples are key elements in these studies, and consistent sampling and storage are critical for current and future studies of wasting. In particular, we would like to offer simple sampling and storage protocols so that researchers anywhere can take advantage of wasting (and non-wasting) specimens to be most useful to the research community at large. Here, we provide best practices for characterizing and analyzing individuals that are encountered with wasting-like symptoms. One asterisk indicates significant loss of target organism or intact particles suitable for metagenomic approaches; two asterisks indicate that the effects of TriZol with freezing on the stability of microbial nucleic acids has not been assessed. In the cost column, the expected price of the method is described from the cheapest ($) to the most expensive ($$$). DG, dangerous goods; IATA, International Air Transport Association; n.o.s., not otherwise specified; TEM, transmission electron microscopy.