TRANSPORT CONTAINER FOR STABILIZED LIQUID SAMPLES

1 . A transport system for the transport of biological samples, the transport system comprising:

an inner container having at an opening and least one rigid chamber for containing a body fluid comprising at least one diagnostic marker;

a stabilizing agent contained within the inner container, the stabilizing agent capable of completely or substantially preventing the degradation or inactivation of a diagnostic agent for at least twenty four hours following interaction with the diagnostic agent;

a securing device for closing the opening of the inner container;

wherein the stabilizing agent is linked to a solid support;

wherein the inner container is comprised of a material resistant to fracture.

2 . The transport system of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizing agent is adsorbed to the solid support.

3 . The transport system of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizing agent is selected from the group consisting of Fixanal® Buffer 6.0 (Sigma-Aldrich Co.), acetic acid, aluminum hydroxide bentonite, aluminum sulfate hydrate, aluminum potassium sulfate dodecahydrate, benzoic acid, caffeine, and 3-tert-butyl-hydroxyanisole, or a combination thereof.

4 . The transport system of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizing agent comprises a plurality of stabilizing agents each present in approximately the same concentration.

5 . The transport system of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizing agent is selected from the group consisting of a protease inhibitor, a DNase inhibitor, and a RNase inhibitor.

6 . The transport system of claim 1 , wherein the diagnostic marker is selected from the group consisting of a protein, a glycoprotein, a nucleic acid, an enzyme, an enzyme inhibitor, and a metabolite.

7 . The transport system of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizing agent is useful to completely or substantially inactivate an enzyme selected from the group consisting of an amylase, a lysozyme, a peroxidase, a glycosidase, an esterase, a protease, and a peptidase.

8 . The transport system of claim 1 , wherein the body fluid is selected from the group consisting of saliva, a mucous secretion, tears, sweat, semen, urine, a vaginal secretion, exhalate, blood, serum, and an anal secretion.

9 . The transport system of claim 1 , further comprising an outer container capable of sealably containing the inner container.

10 . The transport system of claim 9 , wherein the outer container comprises an absorbent material sufficient to absorb the body fluid.

11 . The transport system of claim 1 , wherein the transport system is capable of maintaining a fluid tight seal under temperatures of greater than 140° F.