Laboratory evaluation of the ESwab transport system for the recovery of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii

Microbiological surveillance for detection of carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii is important, but recovery of A. baumannii is inadequate. We studied A. baumannii recovery by a particular transport system that is possibly superior over standard swabs, using reference and clinical strains. First, the recovery rates relating to the various swabs were compared with regard to various combinations of transport times (0 h, 1 h, 24 h, 48 h), storage times (0 weeks, 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks) and storage temperatures (4°c,−80°c) using live counts. Second, the recovery of different inocula of strains mixed with fecal microbiota was evaluated by plating on selective medium. The new transport system exhibited a decline of <3log₁₀ under almost all conditions studied and performed better than standard swabs under several conditions. If plated on selective media, the new transport system performed well, even after prolonged transport or with a low inoculum, and its processing could be delayed by up to 2 weeks, especially if refrigerated. The new transport system may thus enhance A. baumannii surveillance.