title: Comparison of flocked and rayon swabs for collection of respiratory epithelial cells from uninfected volunteers and symptomatic patients.
abstract: Significantly more epithelial cells were collected by flocked swabs than by rayon swabs in parallel nasopharyngeal and nasal swabs taken from 16 volunteers. Nasopharyngeal sampling of 61 symptomatic patients also yielded more cells by flocked than rayon swabs, providing better clinical specimens for diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Daley
authors.forename: Santina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Castriciano
authors.forename: Max
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chernesky
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Smieja
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002482:Cellulose; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D009296:Nasal Cavity / Q000166:cytology* / Q000821:virology; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000166:cytology* / Q000821:virology; D009975:Orthomyxoviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000821:virology; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000821:virology; D012136:Respiratory Syncytial Viruses / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D002482:Cellulose; C012024:rayon, purified