Procedures for anal swabs collection

Procedures for anal swabs collection

Anal swab

Anal swabs are a method of collecting samples from the rectum to detect microorganisms such as pathogens and are less painful and less harmful.

For anal swab collection, a sterile cotton swab gently inserted above the anal sphincter (about 6 cm to 7 cm), rotate, remove and place in transport medium.

Because anal swab collection requires a strict procedure, which usually involves lying on your side with your knees bent.

Or standing with your hands propped up on a table or chair in a forward bend position.

Anal swab collection method

The procedure of anal swab collection method is very important because improper operation can affect the accuracy of the sample.

And anal swab collection is less painful than common oral, nasopharyngeal, and is almost painless throughout the process.

However, anal swabs are not as convenient as oral-nasopharyngeal swabs, so they are now only available to a select group of people.

In addition, such a private part of the sample collection, the environment will be very hidden requirements.

These various inconveniences together, greatly increase the anal swab collection time and site and labor costs.

The difference between rectal swabs and anal swabs

Rectal swabs and anal swabs are two different methods of collection.

Because Rectal swabs are mainly used in infants or patients with severe diarrhea and there is no stool for the time being.

So the rectal swab samples can detect pathogenic bacteria of diarrhea. Anal swabs should not use for diarrhea pathogen culture.

During rectal swab collection, the swab should rotate inside the rectum to ensure that there is feces on the swab.

Anal swab collection methods need to follow strict procedures to ensure the accuracy of the sample.

Procedure

The following is the procedure for anal swab collection:

A sterile cotton swab should use and moisten with saline solution.

Patients lie on their side with their knees bent or stand with their hands propped up on a table and chair in a forward bend position.

The gatherer puts on gloves and explains the collection process to the subject.

While the collector slowly inserts a sterile cotton swab above the anal sphincter (about 6 cm to 7 cm) and rotates it several times to collect a sample from the rectum.

And The sterile cotton swab can remove by the collector and place in the transport medium with feces visible on the swab.

The collector sends the sample to a laboratory for testing.

When performing anal swab collection, there are several points to note:

Foragers need to wear gloves to avoid hand infections.

Anal swab collection needs to keep the environment seclude to avoid embarrassment or discomfort to the person collect.

In the process of collection, the gatherer needs to fully communicate with the collect to avoid fear of the collect.