Virus Transport System (VTM-RT)

The Virus Transport System (VTM-RT) is an important tool for the collection, preservation, and transportation of virus samples. The following is a detailed introduction:

System Composition and Principle

• Components: It usually consists of sampling tubes, preservation solutions, and swabs. The sampling tubes are generally made of high-quality plastic materials with good sealing properties to prevent sample leakage and external contamination. The preservation solution is a key component of VTM-RT, and its formulation is carefully designed to maintain the activity and stability of viruses. Swabs are used to collect virus samples, and common ones include nasal swabs and throat swabs. Their materials and designs are optimized according to different sampling sites and requirements to ensure that sufficient virus samples can be collected efficiently.
• Working Principle: When collecting samples, the viruses collected by the swabs are quickly transferred into the sampling tubes containing the preservation solution. Specific components in the preservation solution, such as buffers, proteins, and salts, create a suitable environment that inhibits the degradation and inactivation of viruses and prevents the growth of microorganisms such as bacteria, thereby ensuring the integrity and activity of viruses during transportation. For example, the buffers in the preservation solution can maintain a stable pH value and avoid damage to viruses due to changes in environmental pH; proteins can provide a certain protective effect to prevent the destruction of the virus structure.

Main Application Scenarios

• Clinical Diagnosis: In hospitals and various medical institutions, VTM-RT is widely used in the diagnosis of infections caused by various viruses, such as respiratory viruses and enteric viruses. For example, during the high-incidence season of influenza, medical staff use VTM-RT to collect throat swab or nasal swab samples from patients and then send the samples to the laboratory for nucleic acid testing, antigen testing, or virus culture to determine whether patients are infected with the influenza virus and the specific type of infection, thus providing an accurate basis for clinical treatment.
• Epidemic Prevention and Control: During the outbreak of infectious diseases, VTM-RT is crucial for large-scale virus screening. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, various regions used VTM-RT to collect samples from a large number of people, quickly and accurately detected virus-infected individuals, and took isolation and treatment measures in a timely manner, effectively controlling the spread of the epidemic. Meanwhile, VTM-RT also helps to monitor and evaluate the development trend of the epidemic, providing data support for formulating scientific and reasonable prevention and control strategies.
• Scientific Research Field: In virology research, researchers use VTM-RT to collect virus samples from different sources for studying the genetic characteristics, variation patterns, and pathogenic mechanisms of viruses. For example, through gene sequencing and analysis of the collected virus samples, researchers can understand the gene structure and variation of viruses, providing a theoretical basis for the development of new diagnostic methods, vaccines, and therapeutic drugs.

Product Features and Advantages

• Good Sample Preservation Effect: VTM-RT can effectively preserve the activity of virus samples within a certain time and temperature range, ensuring the accuracy of test results. Even after the samples have been transported and stored for a long time after collection, the nucleic acid and protein structures of the viruses can still remain relatively intact, reducing false negative results caused by sample degradation.
• Simple and Safe Operation: The operation process of the entire system is relatively simple, and medical staff and researchers can master it proficiently after short-term training. Meanwhile, VTM-RT fully considers safety in its design. The sampling tubes have good sealing properties, avoiding the potential infection risk to operators caused by sample leakage.
• Strong Compatibility: VTM-RT is compatible with many common virus detection methods, such as PCR detection and immunoassay. This enables the collected samples to be conveniently applied to different detection platforms, improving the flexibility and efficiency of detection.

Precautions for Use

• Sample Collection Standards: When using VTM-RT to collect samples, operators should strictly follow the operating procedures to ensure the reliable quality of the collected samples. For example, when collecting throat swabs, other parts of the mouth should be avoided to prevent collecting too many irrelevant cells and impurities that may affect the test results.
• Preservation and Transportation Conditions: After sample collection, VTM-RT should be stored under the specified temperature conditions, generally in a low-temperature environment (such as 2 – 8 °C or lower), to maintain the activity of the viruses. During transportation, appropriate protective measures should be taken to prevent the samples from being affected by adverse factors such as severe vibration, high temperature, and direct sunlight.
• Quality Control and Expiration Date Management: Before use, check whether the packaging of VTM-RT is intact and whether there is any damage or leakage. Meanwhile, pay attention to the expiration date of the product and avoid using expired products to ensure the performance and reliability of the system.