TITAN MEDIA TRANSPORT MEDIUM, AMIES W/O CHARCOAL For transportation and preservation of clinical samples Composition Ingredients

Agar Sodium chloride Na2HPO4 Sodium thioglycollate Potassium chloride Calcium chloride Magnesium chloride Gms/Ltr. 4.00 3.00 1.15 1.00 0.20 0.10 0.10 TM 456

* Dehydrated powder, hygroscopic in nature, store in a dry place, in tightly-sealed containers below 25 C and protect from direct Sunlight. Instructions for Use Dissolve 10gms in 1000ml of distilled water. Gently heat to boiling for 1 minute with gentle swirling and dissolve the medium completely. Dispense the media in tubes. Sterilize by autoclaving at 15 psi (121C) for 15 minutes. Place the tubes to cool in upright position. Appearance: Cream colour, opalescent gel pH (at 25C): 7.3 0.2 Principle TRANSPORT MEDIUM, AMIES W/O CHARCOAL is used for transportation and preservation of clinical samples. Amies introduced his modification of Stuarts Transport Medium to overcome a number of problems. In Stuarts Transport Medium suffered from overgrowth by coliforms that were capable of utilizing sodium glycerophosphate. Scientist Amies has replaced this problem of component with an inorganic phosphate buffer system. In the formulation of Amies Transport medium without Charcoal, to maintain the viability of microorganisms without significant increase in growth, being nonnutritive, phosphate buffered and semi-solid. Potassium chloride Magnesium chloride and Calcium chloride salts are added to control the permeability of the bacterial cell wall and thus prolong their survival. Disodium phosphates act as a buffer system. Less amount of Agar is added to make medium semi solid. Sodium thioglycollate suppresses oxidative changes and provides a reduced environment. The survival of bacteria in a transport medium depends on various factors such as bacteria type and concentration in the specimen, transport medium formulation, the temperature and duration of transport, and inoculation to appropriate culture media within 24 hours. Culture will continue to be important as it allows antibiotic susceptibility to be performed. While inoculation of microorganisms by sterile swabs into the upper third of the transport medium, break-off the protruding portion of swab stick and tightly screw cap the tube. Historically, because N. gonorrhoeae is temperature sensitive, it has been recommended that genital specimens be stored at room temperature prior to processing. Specimens which have been plated and then transported have better recovery of N. gonorrhoeae at 37C than at room temperature or at 400C. However, it is becoming clear that N. gonorrhoeae on transport swabs survives better at 4C than at room temperature. The improved survival at 4C varies somewhat with different swab systems. In almost all these studies, swabs have been inoculated with pure cultures of N. gonorrhoeae. Interpretation Following results obtained from different type of cultures kept under different temperatures (4 C and room temperature) for up to 72 hours. Cultural characteristics observed after inoculating (102 - 103CFU/ml), when on subcultured on Soya

Casein Digest Agar (TM 345), for a period of 18 - 24 hours at 35 2C.

Microorganisms

ATCC

Recovery at 40C

Recovery at 250C

Neisseria gonorrhoeae Brucella abortus Salmonella typhi

19424 4315 6539

50% 50% 50%

50% 50% 50%

References 1. Amies C.R. "A Modified Formula for the Preparation of Stuarts Transport Medium". Can. J. Public Health 58: 296-300. (1967). 2. Stuart R.D., Toshach S.R. and Patsula T.M. Can. J. Pub. Hlth., 45:75. (1954). 3. Chapel T., Jeffries C, Gatewood B., Schileru R. American Journal of Clinical Pathology; vol 72(1), July 1979, p 84-87. (1979). 4. Sng E., Rajan V., Yeo K., Goh A. The Recovery of Neisseria gonorrhoeae from Clinical Specimens: Effects of Different Temperatures, Transport Times, and Media. Sexually Transmitted Diseases: vol 9(2), April-June, 74 -78. (1982.). For more details visit:- http://www.titanmedia.in/images/upload/td/TM%20456_TRANSPORT%20MEDIUM%20AMIES %20WITHOUT%20CHARCOAL%20TM%20456.pdf or http://www.titanmedia.in