SARS-CoV-2 Sample Collection

As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to grow globally, readily available and reliable testing is essential to identifying and slowing the spread of the disease. The majority of existing COVID-19 molecular tests on the market call for a sample collection method requiring swabs to be inserted into the nasal passage and the throat. The swabs themselves containing the sample are then transported in 2-3 mL of viral universal transport media (UTM) and must be kept cold with ice packs or dry ice and processed within 48-72 hours. Because the swabs remain immersed in the UTM, synthetic tip swabs need to be used, as otherwise leaching of swab materials into the sample during transportation may interfere with PCR. However due to the need for mass testing, the global supply of synthetic tip swabs has been severely depleted with no defined timelines for replenishment.

This is where iSWAB-Microbiome can help. The unique design of the patented collection tube and insert system maximizes recovery of the collected biological material through release from the swab into the stabilization buffer, which can then be stored and transported at room temperature. The swab is then safely discarded after collection and does not travel with the sample— meaning that the material of the swab will not interfere with downstream applications such as PCR and sequencing based assays.
iSWAB Microbiome allows to easily and reliably use any readily available swab type including synthetic fiber, Rayon, Dacron, and inexpensive cotton swabs to collect samples for COVID-19 testing, reducing the supply chain burden which helps to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.