Standardized preservation, extraction and quantification techniques for detection of fecal SARS-CoV-2 RNA

Processing stool samples with OMNIgene SPUTUM significantly improved the diagnostic yield of Mycobacterium tuberculosis using the Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra assay compared to standard methods, offering a viable alternative for patients who cannot produce sputum.

Diagnostic accuracy of Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra and culture assays to detect Mycobacterium Tuberculosis using OMNIgene-sputum processed stool among adult TB presumptive patients in Uganda — Sessolo et al., PloS one · source ↗

• stabilised
• dna-genotek-omnigene
• serology
• stool
• validation

TB-MBLA testing of OMNIgene-stabilised stool detected Mycobacterium tuberculosis with 80% sensitivity and 79% specificity against sputum culture in 100 adults, offering a viable alternative for patients unable to produce sputum. The RNA-based assay quantified bacterial load, showing higher burdens in HIV-co-infected individuals, while stool cultures suffered 21-26% contamination rates.

High Mycobacterium tuberculosis Bacillary Loads Detected by Tuberculosis Molecular Bacterial Load Assay in Patient Stool: a Potential Alternative for Nonsputum Diagnosis and Treatment Response Monitoring of Tuberculosis — Musisi et al., Microbiology spectrum · source ↗

• stool
• stabilised
• dna-genotek-omnigene
• validation
• serology

A study limited by sample size found OMNIgene GUT tubes preserved Cryptosporidium DNA better than DNA Shield and FTA cards after year-long ambient storage. qPCR detected DNA in 23/24 OMNIgene, 21/24 DNA Shield, and 17/20 FTA samples, while metagenomics detected it in 13/24, 9/24, and 0/24 samples respectively, guiding decentralised sampling choices.

Detection of <i>Cryptosporidium hominis</i> by clinical metagenomics in stool samples from an outbreak of diarrhoea among British military personnel in Kenya — Halford et al., BMJ military health (paywalled) · source ↗

• stabilised
• dna-genotek-omnigene
• serology
• microbiome
• stool

In a field cohort of 60 adults with diarrhoea, OMNIgene 200 and DNA/RNA shield maintained high sensitivity and concordance with fresh samples for most pathogens, while FTA cards showed low sensitivity for STEC and poor specificity for Campylobacter. This supports the use of stabilised stool media for decentralised PCR testing after prolonged ambient transport.

Prospective evaluation of different faecal preservation media for travellers' diarrhoea diagnostic application with multiplex PCR BioFire FilmArray in resource-limited settings — Toriro et al., Journal of medical microbiology · source ↗

• stabilised
• dna-genotek-omnigene
• serology
• stool

This study compared OMNIgene Gut tubes and FTA cards for stool collection in a deployed setting, finding that OMNIgene yielded higher nucleic acid concentrations while both methods detected the majority of microbial genera. The authors conclude that distinct microbial abundance profiles between the two methods necessitate standardised protocols for field research.

Field expedient stool collection methods for gut microbiome analysis in deployed military environments — Kok et al., mSphere · source ↗

• stabilised
• dna-genotek-omnigene
• dried
• microbiome
• stool
• validation