Many of us know that VTM virus preservation solution is used in virus testing, so is it used for nucleic acid testing of viruses or for antibody testing in asymptomatic patients or vaccinated people, and can the test be performed without VTM? It may not be clear to some people.

Virus preservation solution is mainly a component added to the virus sampling tube, and not every sample collection site can perform PCR testing, so it is necessary to transport the collected virus swab samples. After the samples are sent to the testing facility, they are analyzed by PCR amplification and other methods, which are nucleic acid tests for viruses.

Virus preservation solution for nucleic acid testing

The sampling tube used for virus sample collection consists of a sampling tube, a sampling swab (nasal and pharyngeal swabs), and a virus preservation solution added to the tube. The preservation solution is divided into inactivating and non-inactivating types.

Inactivated preservation solution: the composition has a high concentration of lysis salts, which can not only quickly destroy the cell membrane of the virus host cells, but also denature the proteins, so that the protein of the virus denatures and precipitates, thus allowing the nucleic acid to get rid of the protein entanglement and release the nucleic acid; it also contains buffers EDTA and Tris with nuclease inhibitors.

Non-inactivating preservative solution: the composition has Hanks solution, mainly made of a variety of inorganic salts, buffers, glucose, 0.4% phenol red under sterilized conditions, and the pH of the cell growth state, osmotic pressure and sterile conditions, so that the virus host cells in vitro survival time is extended; also contains protein protector to protect the stability of the virus, as well as buffers and cryoprotectants.

Use of Virus Preservation Solution and Sampling Tubes.

Before sampling, indicate the sample information on the label

Sampling swabs are used for different experimental purposes at the appropriate site.

Specific sampling methods are as follows

Nasal collection: Gently insert the swab head into the nasal cavity and use another swab to collect another nasal sample in the same way.

Pharyngeal collection: the throat sample is collected with a swab, and again the swab head is inserted into the sampling fluid and the tail is broken.