Question

Specimen collection guidelines; use swabs with ______ or polyester tips plastic shafts. Wood, cotton, calcium alginate may be toxic.

1) Wood
2) Cotton
3) Calcium alginate
4) Polyester

Answer 1

Use swabs with polyester tips and plastic shafts for specimen collection to avoid toxicity; wood, cotton, and calcium alginate may interfere with the results.

Step-by-step explanation:

Specimen collection guidelines recommend the use of swabs with polyester tips and plastic shafts. Materials such as wood, cotton, and calcium alginate are to be avoided, as they may be toxic to specimens and can interfere with the results of bacteriological culture methods. When collecting a sample, it's important to use aseptic technique to avoid contamination. For instance, one must obtain a sterile swab, moisten it in sterile distilled water, and rub it firmly over the selected area for sampling. Subsequently, the swab is applied to a section of a TSA agar plate for culturing.