Evaluating the stability of <i>Tritrichomonas foetus</i> in various media under simulated environmental conditions of shipment for RT-qPCR assays

<i>Tritrichomonas foetus</i> is a notable reproductive pathogen in cattle, and the processes of sample collection, handling, transportation, and testing present considerable challenges for surveillance initiatives. Advancements include the development of a direct detection method for <i>T. foetus</i> using reverse-transcription quantitative real-time PCR. We compared the stability of samples in 3 different media: PBS, sterile saline, and lactated Ringer solution over periods of 24-120 h, with storage temperatures of 0°C, 20°C, 37°C, and 54.5°C to mimic shipping of samples in various environmental temperatures.