Alpha-Tec Systems, Vancuver, offers NAC-PAC EA3, a complete specimen preparation reagent system to properly digest, buffer and resuspend patient samples for lab analysis for the presence of Mycobacterium spp. The reagents found in NAC-PAC EA3 improve the efficiency of AFB diagnostics and reduce the need to re-process samples by controlling pH throughout the entire specimen preparation procedure with an integrated pH indicator to ensure a neutral patient sample is achieved. Controlling these pH levels during the entire specimen processing ensures the maximum survival of mycobacteria. The NAC-PAC EA3 system reduces cross-contamination and improves sensitivity and specificity of downstream diagnostic instruments while keeping costs and complexity low. All NAC-PAC EA3 reagents are micro-filtered to prevent risk of false positive results caused by residual non-viable organisms.
Alpha-Tec also offers 5% Oxalic Acid, which optimizes decontamination conditions of specimens with P. aeruginosa. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is present in the respiratory tracks of approximately 80% of patients with cystic fibrosis and isolates can survive the most commonly used sputum decontamination method [NALC with NaOH]. Studies have shown that combining the NALC-NaOH decontamination method with the oxalic acid treatment greatly reduced bacterial overgrowth and improved recovery of mycobacteria. The product is ready-for-use and can be easily incorporated into routine clinical testing.
