title: A comparison of flocked swabs and traditional swabs, using multiplex real-time PCR for detection of common gastroenteritis pathogens in Botswana.
abstract: We compared the performance of flocked and matched traditional rectal swabs collected from 236 children admitted with gastroenteritis in Botswana. All samples were tested using real time multiplex-PCR assays for nine enteric pathogens. There was a 20% higher detection of Shigella from flocked swabs, but most other pathogens had similar detection rates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana; Botswana National Health Laboratory, Gaborone, Botswana. Electronic address: bafanamargaret@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mokomane
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana.
authors.forename: Ishmael
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kasvosve
authors.affiliation: Botswana-Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership, Gaborone, Botswana.
authors.forename: Simani
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gaseitsiwe
authors.affiliation: Botswana-UPenn Partnership, Gaborone, Botswana; Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States.
authors.forename: Andrew P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Steenhoff
authors.affiliation: McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Jeffrey M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pernica
authors.affiliation: Botswana-UPenn Partnership, Gaborone, Botswana.
authors.forename: Kwana
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lechiile
authors.affiliation: St Joseph's Healthcare, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Kathy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Luinstra
authors.affiliation: McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Smieja
authors.affiliation: McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Goldfarb
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001902:Botswana; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D060885:Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D010271:Parasites / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods*; D014780:Viruses / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification
keywords: Flocked swabs; Gastroenteritis; McNemar exact test; Multiplex PCR; Shigella; Threshold cycle