Efficiency and novelty of using environmental swabs for dry-surface biofilm recovery.

Studies on the epidemiology of dry-surface biofilms (DSBs) within healthcare settings have shown an almost universal distribution across frequently touched items. Despite a growing body of evidence for DSBs in hospitals, little attention has been paid to the recovery capacity of techniques used to detect these microbial communities. Biofilms are inherently difficult to remove from surfaces due to adhesive substances within their matrix and may act as sources of infection, but to what extent is largely unknown.