Skip to main content
Journal of Clinical Microbiology logoLink to Journal of Clinical Microbiology
. 1988 Sep;26(9):1814–1817. doi: 10.1128/jcm.26.9.1814-1817.1988

Effects of transport temperature and medium on recovery of Bordetella pertussis from nasopharyngeal swabs.

W E Morrill 1, J M Barbaree 1, B S Fields 1, G N Sanden 1, W T Martin 1
PMCID: PMC266722  PMID: 2903177

Abstract

We compared relative recoveries of Bordetella pertussis from simulated nasopharyngeal (NP) specimens incubated in three separate transport media at different temperatures. Transport media included one-half-strength Regan-Lowe (RL.5), Regan-Lowe with one-half-strength agar (RL.5A), and buffered charcoal-yeast extract agar supplemented with alpha-ketoglutarate, lincomycin, and anisomycin (BCYE alpha LA). For each transport medium, recovery of B. pertussis was least efficient after storage at 25 degrees C. The highest recovery of B. pertussis from a mixed culture was achieved with RL.5 at 4 degrees C. Overall, RL.5 and RL.5A were comparable as transport media whether held at 4 or 25 degrees C, but fewer organisms were recovered from BCYE alpha LA. In addition, Regan-Lowe (RL), Bordet-Gengou, and cyclodextrin media were compared as primary isolation media for recovering B. pertussis from simulated NP swabs held at 4 and 35 degrees C in RL.5 medium. The highest recovery of B. pertussis was obtained on RL primary isolation medium. Bordet-Gengou medium recovered only 80% and cyclodextrin medium recovered less than 60% of the numbers recovered on RL medium. Based on these results, refrigeration (4 degrees C) of NP swabs shipped in RL.5 transport medium and using RL as the primary isolation medium are recommended for recovering B. pertussis from swab specimens.

Full text

PDF

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. COOPER G. N. The prolonged survival of upper respiratory tract and intestinal pathogens on swabs. J Clin Pathol. 1957 Aug;10(3):226–230. doi: 10.1136/jcp.10.3.226. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Effect of a low pertussis vaccination uptake on a large community. Report from the Swansea Research Unit of The Royal College of General Practitioners. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1981 Jan 3;282(6257):23–26. doi: 10.1136/bmj.282.6257.23. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Gästrin B., Kallings L. O., Marcetic A. The survival time for different bacteria in various transport media. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand. 1968;74(3):371–380. doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1968.tb03490.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Hoppe J. E., Weiss A. Recovery of Bordetella pertussis from four kinds of swabs. Eur J Clin Microbiol. 1987 Apr;6(2):203–205. doi: 10.1007/BF02018215. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Hoppe J. E., Wörz S., Botzenhart K. Comparison of specimen transport systems for Bordetella pertussis. Eur J Clin Microbiol. 1986 Dec;5(6):671–673. doi: 10.1007/BF02013299. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Hunter P. R. Survival of Bordetella pertussis in transport media. J Clin Pathol. 1986 Jan;39(1):119–120. doi: 10.1136/jcp.39.1.119. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Imaizumi A., Suzuki Y., Ono S., Sato H., Sato Y. Effect of heptakis (2,6-O-dimethyl) beta-cyclodextrin on the production of pertussis toxin by Bordetella pertussis. Infect Immun. 1983 Sep;41(3):1138–1143. doi: 10.1128/iai.41.3.1138-1143.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Imaizumi A., Suzuki Y., Ono S., Sato H., Sato Y. Heptakis(2,6-O-dimethyl)beta-cyclodextrin: a novel growth stimulant for Bordetella pertussis phase I. J Clin Microbiol. 1983 May;17(5):781–786. doi: 10.1128/jcm.17.5.781-786.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Pasculle A. W., Feeley J. C., Gibson R. J., Cordes L. G., Myerowitz R. L., Patton C. M., Gorman G. W., Carmack C. L., Ezzell J. W., Dowling J. N. Pittsburgh pneumonia agent: direct isolation from human lung tissue. J Infect Dis. 1980 Jun;141(6):727–732. doi: 10.1093/infdis/141.6.727. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Preston N. W. Technical problems in the laboratory diagnosis and prevention of whooping-cough. Lab Pract. 1970 May;19(5):482–486. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Regan J., Lowe F. Enrichment medium for the isolation of Bordetella. J Clin Microbiol. 1977 Sep;6(3):303–309. doi: 10.1128/jcm.6.3.303-309.1977. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. STUART R. D. Transport medium for specimens in public health bacteriology. Public Health Rep. 1959 May;74(5):431–438. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Sutcliffe E. M., Abbott J. D. Selective medium for the isolation of bordetella pertussis and parapertussis. J Clin Pathol. 1972 Aug;25(8):732–733. doi: 10.1136/jcp.25.8.732. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Clinical Microbiology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES