{"id":30846,"date":"2022-01-03T11:36:54","date_gmt":"2022-01-03T05:51:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/?p=30846"},"modified":"2022-08-22T20:43:56","modified_gmt":"2022-08-22T14:58:56","slug":"viral-transport-media-vtm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/viral-transport-media-vtm\/","title":{"rendered":"Viral Transport Media (VTM)- Principle, Preparation, Uses, Limitations"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_65 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #0a0a0a;color:#0a0a0a\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #0a0a0a;color:#0a0a0a\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/viral-transport-media-vtm\/#viral-transport-media-vtm-definition\" title=\"Viral Transport Media (VTM) Definition\">Viral Transport Media (VTM) Definition<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/viral-transport-media-vtm\/#principle-of-viral-transport-media-vtm\" title=\"Principle of Viral Transport Media (VTM)\">Principle of Viral Transport Media (VTM)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/viral-transport-media-vtm\/#composition-of-viral-transport-media-vtm\" title=\"Composition of Viral Transport Media (VTM)\">Composition of Viral Transport Media (VTM)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/viral-transport-media-vtm\/#preparation-of-viral-transport-media-vtm\" title=\"Preparation of Viral Transport Media (VTM)\">Preparation of Viral Transport Media (VTM)<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/viral-transport-media-vtm\/#for-specimen-from-humans\" title=\"For specimen from humans:\">For specimen from humans:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/viral-transport-media-vtm\/#for-specimen-from-animals\" title=\"For specimen from animals:\">For specimen from animals:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/viral-transport-media-vtm\/#preparation-of-transport-medium-199\" title=\"Preparation of Transport medium 199\">Preparation of Transport medium 199<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/viral-transport-media-vtm\/#preparation-of-pbs-glycerol-transport-medium\" title=\"Preparation of PBS-Glycerol transport medium\">Preparation of PBS-Glycerol transport medium<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/viral-transport-media-vtm\/#uses-of-viral-transport-media-vtm\" title=\"Uses of Viral Transport Media (VTM)\">Uses of Viral Transport Media (VTM)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/viral-transport-media-vtm\/#limitations-of-viral-transport-media-vtm\" title=\"Limitations of Viral Transport Media (VTM)\">Limitations of Viral Transport Media (VTM)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/viral-transport-media-vtm\/#references-and-sources\" title=\"References and Sources\">References and Sources<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"viral-transport-media-vtm-definition\"><\/span><strong>Viral Transport Media (VTM) Definition<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A viral transport media (VTM) is a nutrient substance used to carry and maintain the viability of specimens (viruses) to a laboratory for the identification and further processing of the sample.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Transport media for viruses are especially important as they are more labile than other infectious agents.<\/li><li>The probability of successful isolation increases when the time interval between collection and inoculation of the culture is less and when the specimen contains as many virus particles as possible.<\/li><li>In order to maximize the amount of virus in the specimen, the sample collection should be done early in the patient&#8217;s illness.<\/li><li>Successful and reliable isolations of viruses can be accomplished when a suitable transport medium is used.<\/li><li>The isolation count also increases when viral specimens are sent to either a local laboratory or a reference laboratory.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"420\" src=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Viral-Transport-Media-VTM.jpg\" alt=\"Viral Transport Media (VTM)\" class=\"wp-image-30868\" srcset=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Viral-Transport-Media-VTM.jpg 800w, https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Viral-Transport-Media-VTM-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Viral-Transport-Media-VTM-768x403.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Figure: Viral Transport Media (VTM). Image Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bd.com\/en-us\/offerings\/capabilities\/specimen-collection\/swab-based-specimen-collection\/bd-universal-viral-transport-system\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">BD<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"principle-of-viral-transport-media-vtm\"><\/span><strong>Principle of Viral Transport Media (VTM)<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Viral agents vary widely in composition, stability, structure, morphology, and size. The loosely packaged enveloped viruses obtained from human samples are generally more labile than the non-enveloped dense viruses.<\/li><li>Because they are labile to the environmental conditions, the viability of these viruses must be protected by using different solutions.<\/li><li>Some enveloped viruses, such as herpes simplex viruses (HSV), are surprisingly stable in the non-frozen state when placed in a suitable holding environment. However, most of the viruses do require a colder temperature.<\/li><li>The infectivity of viruses decreases over time, and generally, the decay rate is a function of temperature, so that stability is enhanced by cooling<\/li><li>Thus, viral transport media are prepared with the idea of providing appropriate conditions of temperature, pH, and nutrients.<\/li><li>The constituents of an appropriate viral transport media are selected to create an isotonic solution containing proteins to protect the viral structure, antibiotics to control microbial contamination, and one or more buffers to control the pH.<\/li><li>Viral transport media are prepared with the idea of sustaining the viability of the viral culture or specimens for tests like the nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) while preventing the drying of the sample.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"composition-of-viral-transport-media-vtm\"><\/span><strong>Composition of Viral Transport Media (VTM)<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>An ideal viral transport medium would possess many of the following characteristics;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol><li>It would preserve the activity of the virus, even at room temperatures.<\/li><li>It would be nontoxic to cell cultures and not obscure the appearance of viral cytopathic effects.<\/li><li>It would have a long shelf life (either in a frozen or non-frozen state).<\/li><li>It would be applicable for both culture isolations and direct tests such as enzyme immunoassays or <a href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/immunofluorescence\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>immunofluorescence<\/strong><\/a>.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>In order to achieve all the above-mentioned characteristics, viral transport media usually have a protective protein component, antimicrobial agents to prevent the chances of contamination, and buffers to maintain the pH of the solution.<\/li><li>Some VTMs also have additional ions and minerals that aid in maintaining the viability of such specimens.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"preparation-of-viral-transport-media-vtm\"><\/span><strong>Preparation of Viral Transport Media (VTM)<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>A number of viral transport media are commercially available, which can directly be bought and used under the conditions mentioned.<\/li><li>Some such media include the COPAN Universal Transport Media and the Eagle Minimum Essential Medium (E-MEM).<\/li><li>However, some other media can be prepared locally while maintaining suitable conditions and composition.<\/li><li>The composition and preparation of different viral transport differ depending on whether the sample is taken from humans or other animals.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"for-specimen-from-humans\"><\/span><strong>For specimen from humans:<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The following is the method of preparation for locally made VTMs for the nasal and throat swabs from humans:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Add 10g veal infusion broth and 2g bovine albumin fraction V to sterile distilled water (to 400 ml).<\/li><li>Add 0.8 ml gentamicin sulfate solution (50 mg\/ml) and 3.2 ml amphotericin B (250 \u00b5g\/ml) \u2013<\/li><li>Sterilize by filtration.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The following is a more elaborate procedure for the preparation of a larger volume of VTMs for humans:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol><li>Inactivate 500mL of fetal bovine serum (FBS) by heating for 30 minutes in a water bath at 56.0\u00b0C +\/- 1.0\u00b0C. Use commercially inactivated FBS if available.<\/li><li>Add 50mL of amphotericin B, add 50mL of gentamicin to the inactivate FBS and then filter sterilize the solution through a 0.20 to 0.45 \u00b5m filter unit (150mL filter unit).<\/li><li>Add 10mL of the FBS to 500mL of Hanks Balanced Salt Solution (HBSS).<\/li><li>Add 2mL of the Gentamicin\/Amphotericin B mixture to the previously formed HBSS with FBS.<\/li><li>Disperse the solutions to bottles and ca the bottles. Mix by inverting the bottle.<\/li><li>Label the bottle along with the date of production, additives, and expiration date.<\/li><li>Aliquot 3mL of the medium into individual sterile conical screw-capped tubes (such as 16x100mm tubes). Keep lids tightly closed after the medium is dispensed. Label the containers with the necessary information.<\/li><li>Store at 2-8\u00b0C.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"for-specimen-from-animals\"><\/span><strong>For specimen from animals:<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>For the collection and transport of specimens in animals, two types of VTMs can be utilized.<\/li><li>Transport medium 199 is widely used for the collection and transport of clinical specimens from all species.<\/li><li>A second medium, PBS-Glycerol transport medium, which is the glycerol-based medium, provides longer-term stability of specimens where cooling is not immediately possible.<\/li><li>It is suitable for egg inoculation but not suited for tissue culture inoculation.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"preparation-of-transport-medium-199\"><\/span><strong>Preparation of Transport medium 199<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol><li>Take a tissue culture medium 199, containing 0.5% bovine serum albumin (BSA).<\/li><li>To 1 litre of above add: benzylpenicillin (2 x 10<sup>6<\/sup> IU\/litre), streptomycin (200 mg\/litre), polymyxin B (2 x 10<sup>6<\/sup> IU\/litre), gentamicin (250 mg\/litre), nystatin (0.5 x 10<sup>6<\/sup> IU\/litre), ofloxacin hydrochloride (60 mg\/litre), and sulfamethoxazole (0.2 g\/litre).<\/li><li>Sterilize by filtration and distribute in 1.0\u20132.0 ml volumes in screw-capped tubes.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"preparation-of-pbs-glycerol-transport-medium\"><\/span><strong>Preparation of PBS-Glycerol transport medium<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol><li>Prepare the phosphate-buffer saline by adding 8 g of NaCl, 0.2 g of KCl, 1.44 g of Na2HPO4, and 0.24 g of KH2PO4. Add distilled water to this mixture to make 1 liter.<\/li><li>Autoclave the prepared mixture and mix 1:1 with sterile glycerol to make 1 liter.<\/li><li>To 1 litre of above add: benzylpenicillin (2 x 10<sup>6<\/sup> IU\/litre), streptomycin (200 mg\/litre), polymyxin B (2 x 10<sup>6<\/sup> IU\/litre), gentamicin (250 mg\/litre), nystatin (0.5 x 10<sup>6<\/sup> IU\/litre), ofloxacin hydrochloride (60 mg\/litre), and sulfamethoxazole (0.2 g\/litre).<\/li><li>Dispense 1.0\u20132.0 ml of transport medium into sterile plastic screw-cap vials.<\/li><li>Store these vials at \u201320 \u00b0C until used or at room temperature for short periods of 1\u20132 days.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Video: Viral Transport Media by Sarah Bush Lincoln<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Viral Transport Media\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/CaeanI5b0Hw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"uses-of-viral-transport-media-vtm\"><\/span><strong>Uses of Viral Transport Media (VTM)<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Viral transport media are used for the collection and transport of specimens containing viruses.<\/li><li>These are also used to maintain the viability of other organisms like mycoplasma, chlamydiae, and ureaplasma.<\/li><li>VTMs also help to maximize the number of viral particles in a sample.<\/li><li>Liquid transport media are used primarily for transporting swabs or materials released into the medium from a collection swab.<\/li><li>It facilitates the collection and transport of samples in areas where the facilities of refrigeration are not available.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"limitations-of-viral-transport-media-vtm\"><\/span><strong>Limitations of Viral Transport Media (VTM)<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Some growth of contaminants might be observed during the long period of transport.<\/li><li>After transportation, the specimen should be inoculated in the proper medium as soon as possible. For optimum results, the time-lapse between sample collection and inoculum onto the culture medium should be reduced to the minimum.<\/li><li>Some viruses might be more labile than others, and the VTMs might be as effective.<\/li><li>Some antibiotics and chemicals used in VTMs might change the pH of the solution, which affects the viability of the organism.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"references-and-sources\"><\/span><strong>References and Sources<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Johnson, F. B. (1990). Transport of viral specimens.&nbsp;<em>Clinical microbiology reviews<\/em>,&nbsp;<em>3<\/em>(2), 120\u2013131. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1128\/cmr.3.2.120<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.who.int\/ihr\/publications\/Annex8.pdf?ua=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.who.int\/ihr\/publications\/Annex8.pdf?ua=1<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/coronavirus\/2019-ncov\/downloads\/Viral-Transport-Medium.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/coronavirus\/2019-ncov\/downloads\/Viral-Transport-Medium.pdf<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Viral Transport Media (VTM) Definition A viral transport media (VTM) is a nutrient substance used to carry and maintain the viability of specimens (viruses) to a laboratory for the identification &#8230; <a title=\"Viral Transport Media (VTM)- Principle, Preparation, Uses, Limitations\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/viral-transport-media-vtm\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Viral Transport Media (VTM)- Principle, Preparation, Uses, Limitations\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":30868,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,703],"tags":[5209,201,5649],"custom":{"td_video":"","featured_image":"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Viral-Transport-Media-VTM.jpg","author":{"name":"Anupama Sapkota","avatar":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0e9c86afc1670c49efeb260138ec905b?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"categories":[{"term_id":2,"name":"Virology","slug":"virology","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2,"taxonomy":"category","description":"<strong>Virology is a branch of natural science that deals with the biology of viruses and viral diseases, along with the biochemistry, occurrence, pathogenesis, life cycle, ecology, and evolution of viruses and virus-like particles.<\/strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Viruses and viral diseases have been at the focus of science, agriculture, and medicine for a long time, and some of the greatest challenges and triumphs in science have involved virology like the eradication of smallpox.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Virology is an important clinical science that deals with diseases of new emerging viruses and viral diseases.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The importance of virology has been observed throughout time in the form of viral outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Virology is a reasonably difficult discipline due to the complex nature of viruses. Viruses are obligatory parasites that require living cells for growth which makes it difficult to culture them in laboratories.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Besides, these are minute particles that cannot be seen through a compound microscope. These are also comparatively more pathogenic, resulting in deadly diseases.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">All of these difficulties has made extensive research on viruses and viral diseases quite challenging.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">However, modern science has made significant advancements in microscopy and other techniques that have made the observation and culture of viruses on artificial surfaces possible.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Much of the initial attention of virologists were focused on viruses as disease-causing agents, and great progress continues to be made in this area.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0Many acute viral infections are prevented or controlled in much of the world through vaccination and other public health measures.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It has also been <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">recognized that viral infections cause a substantial fraction of the world's cancer burden, most commonly hepatitis B virus and human papillomavirus infections, both of which can be prevented by vaccination.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Viruses also cause severe diseases in plants and livestock, which include viruses like TMV.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Beyond their medical and agricultural importance, numerous studies done on viral replication have provided important information on the mechanism of viral diseases.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Virology continues to focus on clinical science in order to discover the nature of viral gene products, their application as <a href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/vaccines-introduction-and-types\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">vaccines<\/a>, and as antimicrobial agents.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>","parent":0,"count":50,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":2,"category_count":50,"category_description":"<strong>Virology is a branch of natural science that deals with the biology of viruses and viral diseases, along with the biochemistry, occurrence, pathogenesis, life cycle, ecology, and evolution of viruses and virus-like particles.<\/strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Viruses and viral diseases have been at the focus of science, agriculture, and medicine for a long time, and some of the greatest challenges and triumphs in science have involved virology like the eradication of smallpox.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Virology is an important clinical science that deals with diseases of new emerging viruses and viral diseases.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The importance of virology has been observed throughout time in the form of viral outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Virology is a reasonably difficult discipline due to the complex nature of viruses. Viruses are obligatory parasites that require living cells for growth which makes it difficult to culture them in laboratories.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Besides, these are minute particles that cannot be seen through a compound microscope. These are also comparatively more pathogenic, resulting in deadly diseases.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">All of these difficulties has made extensive research on viruses and viral diseases quite challenging.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">However, modern science has made significant advancements in microscopy and other techniques that have made the observation and culture of viruses on artificial surfaces possible.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Much of the initial attention of virologists were focused on viruses as disease-causing agents, and great progress continues to be made in this area.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0Many acute viral infections are prevented or controlled in much of the world through vaccination and other public health measures.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It has also been <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">recognized that viral infections cause a substantial fraction of the world's cancer burden, most commonly hepatitis B virus and human papillomavirus infections, both of which can be prevented by vaccination.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Viruses also cause severe diseases in plants and livestock, which include viruses like TMV.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Beyond their medical and agricultural importance, numerous studies done on viral replication have provided important information on the mechanism of viral diseases.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Virology continues to focus on clinical science in order to discover the nature of viral gene products, their application as <a href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/vaccines-introduction-and-types\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">vaccines<\/a>, and as antimicrobial agents.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>","cat_name":"Virology","category_nicename":"virology","category_parent":0},{"term_id":703,"name":"Culture Media","slug":"culture-media","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":703,"taxonomy":"category","description":"<strong>Culture media or growth media is a liquid or gel support media provided with essential nutrients and growth parameters required for the growth of microorganisms.<\/strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Culture media are of different types depending on the nutrients they have and the type of microorganisms that grow on them.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Growth media are primarily of two types; one for cell culture where specific cell types are grown of specific plants and animals, and another for microbiological culture to support the growth of microorganisms on artificial surfaces.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For microbial culture, the most common culture media are agar plates or broth medium. Agar plates are made up of a growth medium containing agar that results in the formation of a gel-like support medium for growth.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The broth medium, in turn, is made without any agar, which gives it the consistency of a liquid support medium.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Both the agar plates and broth media can be either general media or selective media.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">General media support the growth of multiple organisms, while selective media allow the selective growth of fastidious organisms that require specific nutrient and environmental requirements.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For microorganisms like viruses or parasites, a growth medium containing living cells are required.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">All culture media have a list of common ingredients like a source of carbon, a source of protein or nitrogen, some salts, and water.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In the case of culture media used for a specific purpose; however, additional ingredients like organic compounds or pH indicators might also be present.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The most common general culture media for the isolation of bacteria is the Nutrient Agar that supports the growth of a diverse group of bacteria.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Culture media are an important part of routine laboratory research as it allows the artificial culture of microorganisms under laboratory conditions and also helps in isolation and differentiation of different microorganisms.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The growth pattern and colony morphology of certain bacteria on certain growth media provide a basis for the identification of the bacteria.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Traditionally, this technique was one of the most important methods of identification of microorganisms. It is still employed in many laboratories throughout the world for diagnostic and educational purposes.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>","parent":0,"count":67,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":703,"category_count":67,"category_description":"<strong>Culture media or growth media is a liquid or gel support media provided with essential nutrients and growth parameters required for the growth of microorganisms.<\/strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Culture media are of different types depending on the nutrients they have and the type of microorganisms that grow on them.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Growth media are primarily of two types; one for cell culture where specific cell types are grown of specific plants and animals, and another for microbiological culture to support the growth of microorganisms on artificial surfaces.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For microbial culture, the most common culture media are agar plates or broth medium. Agar plates are made up of a growth medium containing agar that results in the formation of a gel-like support medium for growth.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The broth medium, in turn, is made without any agar, which gives it the consistency of a liquid support medium.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Both the agar plates and broth media can be either general media or selective media.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">General media support the growth of multiple organisms, while selective media allow the selective growth of fastidious organisms that require specific nutrient and environmental requirements.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For microorganisms like viruses or parasites, a growth medium containing living cells are required.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">All culture media have a list of common ingredients like a source of carbon, a source of protein or nitrogen, some salts, and water.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In the case of culture media used for a specific purpose; however, additional ingredients like organic compounds or pH indicators might also be present.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The most common general culture media for the isolation of bacteria is the Nutrient Agar that supports the growth of a diverse group of bacteria.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Culture media are an important part of routine laboratory research as it allows the artificial culture of microorganisms under laboratory conditions and also helps in isolation and differentiation of different microorganisms.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The growth pattern and colony morphology of certain bacteria on certain growth media provide a basis for the identification of the bacteria.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Traditionally, this technique was one of the most important methods of identification of microorganisms. It is still employed in many laboratories throughout the world for diagnostic and educational purposes.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>","cat_name":"Culture Media","category_nicename":"culture-media","category_parent":0}]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30846"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30846"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30846\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30868"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30846"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30846"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30846"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}