title: Preserving the motility of microorganisms.
abstract: This study focused on several factors that may influence the percentage of motile microorganisms in a sample from the tongue determined using a phase-contrast microscope. It was found that the time elapsing between sampling and analysis is crucially important. In both sterile saline and reduced transport fluid (RTF), a reduction of the percentage of motile microorganisms was found within 15-30 min after sampling respectively. In order to be able to prolong the time interval between sampling and analysis, it was found that storing a sample in a tuberculin syringe with RTF supplemented with Fildes extract preserved the motility of the microorganisms and gave no significant reduction in the percentage of motiles within 48 h.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Academic Centre for Dentistry, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Petit
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Van der Velden
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Van Winkelhoff
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: De Graaff
mesh_terms: D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D002465:Cell Movement; D003470:Culture Media; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008858:Microscopy, Phase-Contrast; D013048:Specimen Handling; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media