SWAB HAVING A LUER CONNECTION

Abstract

The invention relates to a swab system including a sample tube, which is closed at the front end and open at the rear end, and a swab. The swab has an elongated tubular swab rod, wherein the swab rod is provided with a sample-gathering means at the front end of the swab rod and a gripping piece at the rear end of the swab rod. The gripping piece closes the rear open end of the sample tube in an accurately fitting manner and is equipped with a closing cap for covering the gripping piece in a sealed manner. The gripping piece has an internal taper of a Luer connection, wherein the internal taper of the Luer connection has a fluid connection to the tubular swab rod.

Claims

1.-20. (canceled)

21. A swab system comprising: a sample tube, having a closed front end and an open rear end, wherein the sample tube is one continuous piece, and a swab, wherein the swab comprises an elongated, tubular swab rod, wherein the swab rod is provided at a front end of the swab rod with a sample-gathering means and at a rear end of the swab rod with a gripping piece, wherein the gripping piece closes the open rear end of the sample tube in an accurately fitting manner, and the gripping piece is equipped with a closing cap for covering the gripping piece in a sealed manner, wherein the gripping piece has an integral taper for a Luer lock connection and wherein the volume reduction, in a region of the sample tube's closed front end, is an insertion sleeve, shaped and configured to receive the sample-gathering means at the front end of the swab rod.

22. The swab system according to claim 21, wherein the swab and the sample tube are sterile.

23. The swab system according to claim 21, wherein the sample tube narrows conically for volume reduction in a region of the front end of the sample tube.

24. The swab system according to claim 21, wherein the insertion sleeve shaped and configured to receive the sample-gathering means has an open upper side with a collar, and the insertion sleeve is connected via the collar with an inner side of a wall of the sample tube's closed front end.

25. The swab system according to claim 21, wherein the insertion sleeve is shaped with regard to a size and a dimension such that the sample-gathering means is completely received by the insertion sleeve, so that when the sample-gathering means is inserted into the sample tube, only a small free volume remains in a region of the sample-gathering means.

26. A kit for sampling and transfer of body smears, comprising a swab system according to claim 21 and a syringe equipped with an external taper of a Luer connection.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section showing the Swab System of the Invention; and

[0019] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section showing an alternate embodiment of the Swab System of the Invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] The invention will be explained below in greater detail by reference to exemplary embodiments in connection with the drawings.

[0021] FIG. 1 shows in longitudinal section a swab system 1 according to the invention. The swab system 1 comprises a sample tube 2 which is closed at the front end 2.1 and open at the rear end 2.2, and a swab. The swab has a swab rod 3 designed as an elongated hollow body, wherein the swab rod 3 is provided at its front end with a pad of cotton wool as sample-gathering means 4 and at its rear end with a gripping piece 5. The gripping piece 5 encompasses the rear, open end 2.2 of the sample tube 2 and closes the latter in an accurately fitting manner.

[0022] The gripping piece 5 has the internal taper 7 of a Luer connection, wherein the internal taper 7 has a fluid connection with the tubular swab rod 3. The gripping piece 5 is equipped in addition with a closing cap 6 for covering the gripping piece 5 in a sealed manner. The closing cap 6 is closed for the contamination-free transport of the sample.

[0023] After the closing cap 6 is opened, the internal taper 7 of the Luer connection, provided in the gripping piece 5 of the swab rod 3, can be connected with the external taper provided on a conventional syringe with a Luer connection. Through the fluid connection of internal taper 7 with the interior cavity of the swab rod 3, a solvent provided in the syringe can be injected through the Luer connection into the hollow body of the swab rod 3. The solvent penetrates the sample-gathering means 4 from the interior outwards and in this way strips the sample present on the outer side of the sample-gathering means 4 quickly and with a high yield from the sample-gathering means 4.

[0024] By repeatedly aspirating and injecting the solvent or the solvent with suspended sample, respectively, a complete intake of the sample into the solvent is achieved. At the end of the stripping process, the suspended sample is present in the syringe, which is equipped with the external taper of the Luer connection. The sample can then be transferred without any difficulty into any kind of examination apparatus, which in turn is equipped with the internal taper of a Luer connection.

[0025] The complete transfer of the sample from the sample-gathering means 4 into the solution and subsequently into the examination apparatus is possible in a contamination-free manner owing to the Luer connection.

[0026] FIG. 2 shows a further embodiment of the swab system 1 according to the invention, in longitudinal section. The sample tube 2 of the illustrated swab system 1 is additionally equipped with an insertion sleeve 8 to receive the sample-gathering means 4. The insertion sleeve 8 is designed here with regard to its size and its dimensions such that the sample-gathering means 4 can in fact be completely received by the insertion sleeve 8, but when the sample-gathering means 4 is inserted, only a small free volume remains in the region of the sample-gathering means 4.

[0027] The insertion sleeve 8 is designed for example in the form of a sample vessel, open on an upper side, with a collar 8.1, wherein the insertion sleeve 8 is connected via the collar 8.1 with the inner side of the wall of the sample tube 2. For example, such a sample tube 2 with integrated insertion sleeve 8 can be produced by means of an injection moulding method.

[0028] Through the funnel-like construction of the insertion sleeve 8 illustrated in FIG. 2, it is ensured that solvent, which is pressed from the syringe into the hollow body of the swab rod 3 and from there via the sample-gathering means 4 into the insertion sleeve 8, does not arrive into the volume of the sample tube 2 situated beneath the insertion sleeve 8. Taking Samples if MRSA is Suspected

[0029] The practical application of the swab system 1 according to the invention is explained below by means of sampling if MRSA is suspected.

[0030] Bacteria of the genus Staphylococcus aureus may occur in humans and animals as a component of the skin flora. In humans, principally the front area of the nose and the inguinal region are colonized. MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) is a multi-resistant strain of Staphylococcus aureus and possesses the mea resistance gene, which encodes a modified penicillin-binding protein (BPB2a)-transpeptidase. However, this modified penicillin-binding protein does not incorporate any beta-lactam antibiotics into the cell wall and leads to MRSA being resistant to all beta-lactam antibiotics (penicillins, cephalosporins, and carbapenems). These resistant strains of bacteria in fact do not lead more frequently to infections than their antibiotic-sensitive relatives, however, an infection with an MRSA is substantially more difficult to treat. Therefore, attempts must be made to prevent the spread of MRSA, particularly in hospitals.

[0031] To take a sample from a patient with suspected MRSA, the swab rod 3 is removed from the sample tube 2 andwithout contaminating the cotton wool pad 4 on the skinis introduced as deeply as possible into the right Cavum nasi, is withdrawn thereafter and subsequently the same swab rod 3 is introduced into the left Cavum nasi, again as deeply as possible. On withdrawal of the swab rod 3, contact with the external skin is again to be avoided. The swab rod 3 is introduced back into the sample tube 2.

[0032] The microorganisms potentially adhering to the cotton wool pad 4 are

i. on the one hand to be kept alive as long as possible for a microbiological examination, but on the other hand are to be prevented from intensive growth and/or
ii. to be prepared for a PCR examination.

[0033] Therefore, a transport medium known to one skilled in the art, which fulfils the requirements with regard to (i) and/or (ii), is introduced into the swab system 1 via a commercially available syringe, pre-filled accordingly if applicable, equipped with the external taper of a Luer connection. Firstly, the closing cap 6 is opened, then the external taper of the syringe is placed onto the internal taper 7 of the gripping piece 5 of the swab rod 3 and the transport medium is pumped into the sample tube 2 via the internal taper 7 and the cotton wool pad 4 of the swab rod 3, and is subsequently sucked up again. This process is repeated several times. At the end of the procedure, the transport medium can be situated in the sample tube 2 and/or in the syringe.

[0034] The syringe and the swab rod 3 in the sample tube 2 can remain connected or can be separated from one another and closed respectively. In the case of the separated further use, the swab rod 3 can be used for example for a culture method, for which a nutrient medium is treated with the cotton wool pad 4 of the swab rod 3 (which is moistened with transport medium). The partially filled syringe can be used in order to carry out a PCR examination, wherein the transfer of the microorganisms (suspended/dissolved in the transport medium) ideally takes place via a renewed Luer connection into the device for further analysis by means of PCR.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0035] 1 swab system [0036] 2 sample tube [0037] 2.1 front end of the sample tube [0038] 2.2 rear end of the sample tube [0039] 3 swab rod [0040] 4 sample-gathering means [0041] 5 gripping piece [0042] 6 closing cap [0043] 7 internal taper of the Luer connection [0044] 8 insertion sleeve [0045] 8.1 collar