Sucrose phosphate glutamate for combined transport of chlamydial and viral specimens.

Sucrose phosphate glutamate (SPG) was evaluated as a transport medium for specimens submitted to the virology laboratory. The recovery rate in SPG and minimum essential medium (MEM) was compared at different temperatures and incubation times using herpes viruses. The results showed a successful recovery of viruses from clinical specimens and that SPG is equal to or better than MEM for maintaining herpes virus stability during transport.