swabs

A swab is a small device used to collect samples from surfaces or body sites. It typically consists of a short handle with an absorbent tip. Tips are commonly cotton, but synthetic fibers such as polyester or rayon are also used; some swabs use flocked nylon to improve collection and release. Shafts can be wood, plastic, or metal, and most swabs are designed for single use and are sterilized prior to packaging.

Common applications include medical diagnostics, microbiology, and forensic or environmental sampling. In clinical settings, swabs are used to collect specimens for bacterial culture, viral testing, and molecular assays, including buccal swabs for DNA and nasal or throat swabs for respiratory pathogens. Environmental and food testing employ surface swabbing to detect contaminants. In laboratories, swabs may be moistened with sterile saline or transport media to enhance sample collection, while some tests use dry swabs.

Handling and storage practices emphasize sterility and contamination prevention. After collection, specimens are placed into appropriate transport media or kept dry according to protocol, labeled, and transported to laboratories under recommended conditions. Used swabs and their containers are disposed of in accordance with local regulations for infectious or chemical waste.

Safety and regulation vary by application. Many swabs intended for clinical use are classified as medical devices and manufactured under sterile, quality-controlled conditions. The choice of swab type (tip material, flocking, moisture) affects sample collection efficiency and downstream analysis, with specific designs favored for particular tests or specimen types. Limitations include variability in sampling technique and potential interference from certain tip materials.