Comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of swab-based collection tools

I. Advantages

1. Simple operation
   • Swab – type collection tools are usually simple to use. For example, for throat swab collection, medical staff only need to gently insert the swab into the patient’s throat and wipe the tonsils and the back of the pharynx. This operation is relatively easy to learn and master and does not require complex technical training. For large – scale sample collection work, such as virus screening of a large number of people during an infectious disease outbreak, staff can be quickly trained to operate.
2. Non – invasive or minimally invasive
   • Most swab collections are non – invasive (such as oral swabs) or minimally invasive (such as nasal swabs and throat swabs) operations. Compared with some methods that require puncture or surgery to obtain samples, swab collection causes very little physical harm to patients. The discomfort of patients during the sampling process is relatively mild, usually only requiring them to endure a brief slight foreign – body sensation or irritation, and the recovery time after sampling is very short, hardly affecting the patients’ normal life and work.
3. Diverse sample types
   • Swab – type tools can collect various types of samples. In addition to the commonly used throat swabs and nasal swabs for detecting respiratory viruses, there are also cervical swabs that can be used to collect female genital tract samples for sexually transmitted disease testing or cervical cancer screening; oral swabs can collect oral cells for genetic testing, paternity testing, etc.; there are also swabs for detecting environmental microorganisms, which can obtain microbial samples by wiping object surfaces, with a wide range of applications.
4. Low cost
   • The production cost of swab – type collection tools is relatively low. Both the material cost of the swabs themselves and the production process cost are not high. This enables sufficient collection tools to be obtained with a low budget during large – scale sample collection. For example, during the global COVID – 19 pandemic, a large number of throat swabs and nasal swabs were produced and used. If the cost of swabs was too high, it would greatly increase the testing cost.

II. Disadvantages

1. Limited sample collection volume
   • Compared with some methods of obtaining a large amount of tissue or fluid samples through puncture or surgery, the sample volume collected by swabs is usually small. For example, when collecting virus samples, swabs may only obtain a small number of virus particles. If the number of pathogens in the sample is small, it may affect the accuracy of testing, and more sensitive testing techniques are needed to make up for the lack of sample volume.
2. Prone to contamination
   • Swabs are easily contaminated by the external environment during collection, transportation, and processing. During collection, if the collection site is not fully disinfected or the collection personnel operate non – – standardly, other microorganisms may be introduced, resulting in sample contamination. During transportation and storage, if the storage conditions are improper, such as inappropriate temperature and humidity, the sample may also deteriorate or be contaminated, thus affecting the reliability of the test results.
3. The quality of collection depends on the operator
   • The quality of swab collection largely depends on the operator’s skills and experience. For example, when performing throat swab collection, if the operator does not accurately wipe key parts such as the tonsils and the back of the pharynx, it may lead to an insufficient content of pathogens in the collected sample. Differences in the operation of different operators may have a large impact on sample quality, thereby affecting the test results.
4. May cause discomfort and resistance
   • Although swab collection is relatively non – invasive, some swab collections may still cause discomfort to patients. For example, when collecting nasal swabs, the deep insertion of the swab into the nasal cavity may cause patients to sneeze, tear, and other uncomfortable reactions. Even some patients may resist sampling due to fear of this discomfort, affecting the smooth progress of the sampling work.