Viral Transport Media (VTM) : How to make your own ?
VTM composition following the WHO and CDC recommandations
As a result of the current global Covid-19 pandemic, it is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain certain products for the preservation of samples for diagnosis. This is currently the case for the virus transport medium (VTM), so we suggest you do it yourself following the WHO and CDC recommendations or we offer Viral Transport Medium (VTM) ready to use.
For specimens from humans, you can use commercially available medium like Eagle Minimum Essential Medium (E-MEM).
Alternatively, VTM can be prepared locally. A suitable VTM for use in collecting throat and nasal swabs from human patients is prepared as follows :
- Add 10g veal infusion broth and 2g bovine albumin fraction V to sterile distilled water (to 400 ml)
- Add 0.8 ml gentamicin sulfate solution (50 mg/ml) and 3.2 ml amphotericin B (250 µg/ml)
- Sterilize by filtration
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) just published a document for the preparation of Viral Transport Medium.
Reagents required for VTM
- Hanks Balanced Salt Solution (HBSS) 1X with calcium and magnesium ions, no phenol red, 500mL bottle
- Sterile, heat-inactivated fetal bovine serum (FBS)
- Gentamicin sulfate (50mg/mL)
- Amphotericin B (250ug/mL) (Fungizone)
- Sheep blood agar plate or equivalent quality control plate
- Disinfectant (such as 70%ethanol)
Note: HBSS, FBS, Gentamicin, and Amphotericin B can be purchased as sterile solutions. The filtration steps in this procedure can be omitted provided each of these components are manipulated using aseptic techniques and sterility is maintained for each component.
We offer Viral Transport Medium (VTM) ready to use with or without swab.