The non-inactivated virus sampling tube is a medical device used for collecting and preserving virus samples, and it is widely used in the fields of virus detection, etc. The following is a specific introduction to its advantages and disadvantages:

Advantages

• Maintain virus activity: The biggest advantage is that it can maintain the virus activity for a long time after sampling. This is crucial for some detection projects that require virus culture, isolation, or other requirements for virus activity, such as the isolation and culture of the influenza virus, and the live virus research of the novel coronavirus, providing a reliable sample for subsequent scientific research and accurate diagnosis.
• Compatible with multiple detections: Due to the maintenance of virus activity, the sample can be directly used in multiple detection methods, including virus nucleic acid detection, antigen detection, antibody detection, and virus culture, etc., providing more detection options for the laboratory, which is conducive to a more comprehensive understanding of the characteristics and infection situation of the virus.
• Improve detection accuracy: For some samples with a low virus load, the non-inactivated sampling tube can better retain the original state of the virus, reducing the false negative results caused by virus inactivation or degradation, thereby improving the detection accuracy and reliability.
• Good sample stability: Usually contains a special preservation solution, which can maintain the physiological environment of the virus, such as appropriate osmotic pressure, pH value, etc., and also adds necessary nutrients and protective agents to effectively prevent the virus from being affected by external factors during transportation and storage, ensuring the stability of the sample.

Disadvantages

• Biosafety risk: Because the virus still has activity in the sampling tube, during the process of sample collection, transportation, and handling, if the operation is improper, there is a risk of virus leakage, which may pose a biosafety threat to the operator and the surrounding environment, and it needs to be operated under strict biosafety protection conditions.
• Strict transportation and storage conditions: In order to ensure the activity of the virus, the requirements for transportation and storage conditions are relatively strict. Usually, it needs to be carried out in a low-temperature environment, such as 2-8°C, and equipped with a dedicated cold chain device, which increases the transportation cost and storage difficulty.
• Limited preservation time: Although it can maintain the virus activity for a certain period of time, compared with the inactivated sampling tube, its preservation time is still relatively limited. Generally, it is recommended to carry out the detection as soon as possible within a certain time after sampling, otherwise, it may affect the accuracy of the detection result.
• High cost: The production process and raw material requirements of the non-inactivated virus sampling tube are relatively high, and coupled with the complex composition of its preservation solution, the production cost is relatively high, which leads to a relatively expensive product price, increasing the detection cost.