facturers' viewis that the variability in swabbing per se is not sufficientto
preventthe detectionof highsurface countson a givenday,i.e. the resultsof a
badlyimplementedcleaning operation.
Understanding the problems associatedwithoverallrecoveryratescan help
to improveand control the process.Samplingwettingsolutions,designedto
maintain isotonic conditionsand reducephysiological stress,can be usedto
maintain the viabilityof microorganismsrecovered fromsurfaces(CCFRA,
2003).Care needsto be takenin theirselectionto ensure theydo not artificially
increase the countby providinga mediumin whichrecoveredmicroorganisms
can growduring transit.Somesurfaces maystillhaveresidual disinfectant
presentand neutralising agents,appropriate for the disinfectantbeing usedcan
Fig. 36.5 Surfacehygieneswabbingvariablespotentiallyaffectingrecoveryrates.Improvingsurfacesamplingand detection of contamination 599