No abstract

The Levine swab is superior to the Z-swab technique and may be useful for initial wound monitoring, but quantitative biopsies are preferred for evaluation of antibiotic-resistant wounds and to monitor the response to treatment. There is limited evidence on the role of wound swabs for detecting wound colonisation versus infection and the impact of culture-guided therapy on such clinical outcomes as eradication of infection and accelerated healing. Future studies should specify patient populations, wound types, sampling protocols, and outcomes based on culture yield and treatment results, using rigorous statistical methodology.