Ultra-absorptive Nanofiber Swabs for Improved Collection and Test Sensitivity of SARS-CoV-2 and other Biological Specimens

Following the COVID-19 outbreak, swabs for biological specimen collection were thrust to the forefront of healthcare materials. Swab sample collection and recovery are vital for reducing false negative diagnostic tests, early detection of pathogens, and harvesting DNA from limited biological samples. In this study, we report a new class of nanofiber swabs tipped with hierarchical 3D nanofiber objects produced by expanding electrospun membranes with a solids-of-revolution-inspired gas foaming technique. Nanofiber swabs significantly improve absorption and release of proteins, cells, bacteria, DNA, and viruses from solutions and surfaces. Implementation of nanofiber swabs in SARS-CoV-2 detection reduces the false negative rates at two viral concentrations and identifies SARS-CoV-2 at a 10x lower viral concentration compared to flocked and cotton swabs. The nanofiber swabs show great promise in improving test sensitivity,potentially leading to timely and accurate diagnosis of many diseases.

Automated summary

The study on nanofiber swabs has shown that they can significantly improve the efficiency of absorption and release of various biological substances, and improve the sensitivity of tests in SARS-CoV-2 detection, reducing false negative rates.