Survival of Chlamydia trachomatis in different transport media and at different temperatures: diagnostic implications.

Abstract

The survival of a laboratory strain of C. trachomatis serovar L-2 was compared in different media and at different temperatures (room temperature, 4.degree. and -70.degree. C). At these temperatures the best storage medium was 2SP (0.2 mol/l sucrose in 0.02 mol/l PO43- buffer supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum). Material obtained from patients was used to study the sensitivity of the culture method as a function of sample storage time and temperature. Compared with results on direct inoculation, material stored in 2SP for 48 h gave 11% fewer positive cultures at 4.degree. C and 14% fewer at room temperature. Of samples which gave negative results on direct inoculation, 4% were positive after storage at 4.degree. C for 48 h and 2% after storage at -70.degree. C for a week. The number of inclusion-forming units in the original material was important for the percentage of positive cultures among the stored samples.