Don Whitley Scientific is pleased to introduce AccuPAS - the world's first system to fully automate the pre-analytical inoculating/streaking and barcoding process for swab specimens in the clinical laboratory.

Manufactured by Canadian company Dynacon Inc., AccuPAS processes the swab from receipt in the laboratory to culture media plates ready for incubation as a completely hands-free operation. Each plate is streaked identically every time and the automated media barcoding minimises the risk of errors.

The system has been specifically designed for use with the patented eSwab liquid-based transport system from Copan Diagnostics Inc. (California, USA). Aerobic, anaerobic and fastidious bacteriological specimens are collected using a patented flocked swab and transported to the laboratory in liquid Amies medium to preserve viability. As soon as the sample is received to the input tray, AccuPAS automatically prepares the appropriate media plates for incubation. Once the specimen barcode has been read and the sample de-capped, plates are inoculated, streaked and barcoded before the sample is re-capped and subsequently moved to storage while the loop is sterilised for the next specimen.

Sales Director at Don Whitley Scientific, Steve Robertson, is particularly pleased to be the sole UK distributor of this device, "AccuPAS will revolutionise the clinical laboratory in terms of the amount of samples they will be able to handle and the efficiency in the way they are prepared. With every plate perfectly streaked and fully reproducible, lab staff will be free to perform other, more specialised tasks."