Swab Elution Chamber in a Test Cartridge

A system comprising:

• a cartridge housing comprising:
• a swab chamber dimensioned to receive at least a portion of the length of at least one swab, wherein at least one wall of the swab chamber is a flexible film having an inner surface and an outer surface;
• a plurality of storage chambers;
• and
• a fluidic network connecting the swab chamber and at least a portion of the plurality of storage chambers to a first plurality of ports located on an inner surface of the cartridge housing;
• and
• an actuator configured to contact the outer surface of the flexible film such that movement of the actuator against the outer surface of the flexible film causes a respective movement of the at least one swab when the at least one swab is disposed near the inner surface of the flexible film.

A method comprising:

• positioning a swab near an inner surface of a flexible film, wherein the flexible film is a wall of a chamber dimensioned to receive at least a portion of the length of the swab;
• flowing a liquid into the chamber via an opening;
• actuating an actuator contacting an outer surface of the flexible film such that movement of the actuator on the outer surface of the flexible film causes a respective movement of the swab;
• eluting at least a portion of a sample from the swab into the chamber via the actuating;
• and
• drawing the liquid and at least a portion of the sample from the chamber via the opening.