Wigger C

Morris, Peter

Stevens M

Smith-Vaughan H

Hare K

Beissbarth J

Leach AJ

2019-02-01

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.

Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. Electronic address: christine.wigger@menzies.edu.au..

Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia; Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia..

Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia..

Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia..

Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia..

Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia..

Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia..

Journal of microbiological methods 2019-02; 157: 47-49

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30578888/?otool=iaurydwlib

https://hdl.handle.net/10137/7442

Flocked nylon swabs

Haemophilus influenzae

Moraxella catarrhalis

Nasal

Nasopharyngeal

Rayon swabs

Streptococcus pneumoniae

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

Journal Article

Publication