A comparison of flocked nylon swabs and non-flocked rayon swabs for detection of respiratory bacteria in nasopharyngeal carriage in Australian Indigenous children

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Wigger, Christine
Morris, Peter Stanley
Stevens, Matthew
Smith-Vaughan, Heidi
Hare, Kim
Beissbarth, Jemima
Leach, Amanda Jane
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2019
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Abstract

This study compared flocked (nylon) swabs and (non-flocked) rayon swabs for the detection of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis in nasopharyngeal samples from 20 enrolled Indigenous children under the age of 6 years living in remote Australian Aboriginal communities, and determined which swab the child or parent perceived to be more comfortable. There was no evidence of a significant difference between flocked and rayon swabs in the recovery of common respiratory bacteria. Rayon swabs detected presence of S. pneumoniae (90% cf. 74%, p = 0.375), H. influenzae (79% cf. 74%, p = 1.00) and M. catarrhalis (79% cf. 74%, p = 1.00) at higher rates than the flocked swabs. Analysis of semi-quantitative growth scores also showed no significant differences in either the ranked distributions or medians. Rayon swabs median semi-quantitative growth scores were higher for S. pneumoniae (4 [IQR 1–5] cf. 3 [IQR 0–6], p = 0.699), and H. influenzae (2 [IQR1–5] cf. 1 [IQR0–5], p = 0.946). Sixty percent of participants preferred samples to be taken with flocked swabs. This study demonstrates that microbiological outcomes are not compromised when using flocked or rayon swabs in respiratory bacterial carriage studies in this population. Therefore, cost, methodological consistency across studies, and participant preference can be considered when choosing swab type.

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Journal of Microbiological Methods

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157

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Microbiology

Medical microbiology

Science & Technology

Life Sciences & Biomedicine

Biochemical Research Methods

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

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Wigger, C; Morris, PS; Stevens, M; Smith-Vaughan, H; Hare, K; Beissbarth, J; Leach, AJ, A comparison of flocked nylon swabs and non-flocked rayon swabs for detection of respiratory bacteria in nasopharyngeal carriage in Australian Indigenous children, Journal of Microbiological Methods, 2019, 157, pp. 47-49

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