Viral and bacterial transport systems for safe specimen collection, transport, and preservation

Specimen transport media are pre-filled tubes containing a liquid medium and a collection swab, used to collect and preserve clinical specimens between the point of collection and the testing laboratory. They maintain specimen viability during transit, preventing degradation of viruses, bacteria, and other microorganisms before analysis.

What Specimen Transport Media Are Used For

Transport media systems are used to collect and preserve clinical specimens containing viruses, Chlamydia, Mycoplasma, and Ureaplasma. They are commonly used in respiratory, throat, nasal, and other mucosal specimen collection where sample integrity must be maintained until the specimen reaches the lab for testing.

• Pre-filled tubes with liquid transport medium and an integrated swab
• Available in multiple swab types, including standard and minitip FLOQSwab® formats
• Molded breaking point on swab shafts for secure, contamination-free tube closure
• Compatible with standard laboratory testing workflows
• Packaged for clinical, laboratory, and point-of-care collection settings

Common Questions

What is UTM® (Universal Transport Medium)?
UTM® is a Copan transport medium system designed to collect, transport, and preserve clinical specimens containing viruses, Chlamydia, Mycoplasma, and Ureaplasma from the point of collection to the testing laboratory.

What is the difference between a regular and minitip FLOQSwab®?
A regular FLOQSwab® is sized for standard specimen sites such as the throat or nasal cavity, while a minitip FLOQSwab® has a smaller swab head suited to narrower sites such as pediatric or nasopharyngeal collection.

Do all UTM® tubes contain beads?
Not all formats include beads. Bead-free options are available for applications where bead-based vortexing is not required.