Optimal specimen collection and transport methods for the detection of avian influenza virus and Newcastle disease virus

Table 3 Results of testing oro-pharyngeal swabs for avian influenza virus by transport condition

Transport media	Swab removed prior to transport	Number of swabs per vial	2 DPI		3 DPI		4 DPI		7 DPI
Transport media	Swab removed prior to transport	Number of swabs per vial	VI	rRT-PCR	VI	rRT-PCR	VI	rRT-PCR	VI	rRT-PCR
3.5 ml BHI	No	1	10/10 (100)^*a	15/15 (100)^a	10/10 (100)^a	15/15 (100)^a	10/10 (100)^a	15/15 (100)^a	2/10 (20)^a	2/15 (13.3)^a
3.5 ml BHI	No	5	10/10 (100)^a	15/15 (100)^a	10/10 (100)^a	15/15 (100)^a	10/10 (100)^a	15/15 (100)^a	2/10 (20)^a	0/15 (0)^a
3.5 ml BHI	Yes	1	10/10 (100)^a	15/15 (100)^a	9/10 (90)^a	14/15 (93.3)^a	10/10 (100)^a	15/15 (100)^a	4/10 (40)^a	0/15 (0)^a
3.5 ml BHI	Yes	5	10/10 (100)^a	14/15 (93.3)^a	10/10 (100)^a	15/15 (100)^a	10/10 (100)^a	15/15 (100)^a	2/10 (20)^a	0/15 (0)^a
2 ml BHI	No	1	10/10 (100)^a	9/10 (90)^a	10/10 (100)^a	10/10 (100)^a	10/10 (100)^a	10/10 (100)^a	0/10 (0)^a	0/10 (0)^a
2 ml BHI	Yes	1	10/10 (100)^a	10/10 (100)^a	9/10 (90)^a	9/10 (90)^a	10/10 (100)^a	10/10 (100)^a	0/10 (0)^a	0/10 (0)^a
None	No	1	8/10 (80)^a	12/15 (80)^a	6/10 (60)^ab	15/15 (100)^a	7/10 (70)^a	14/15 (93.3)^a	0/10 (0)^a	0/15 (0)^a
None	No	5	10/10 (100)^a	14/15 (93.3)^a	4/10 (40)^b	14/15 (93.3)^a	6/10 (60)^a	14/15 (93.3)^a	0/10 (0)^a	0/15 (0)^a

Flocked swabs and brain heart infusions broth were used for all sample collection except dry transport where culturettes with self-contained swabs were used. Statistical groups (within each detection test [virus isolation or rRT-PCR] and day post inoculation) are denoted with letters, where groups which do not share a letter have a statistically significant difference with a p of value < 0.05. Abbreviations: BHI = brain heart infusion broth, DPI = days post inoculation, rRT-PCR = real-time RT-PCR, VI = virus isolation.
*. Number positive/total tested (percent positive).

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