Comparative Efficiency of Swab Types for Recovery of Escherichia coli and HF183 from Household Surfaces
Description
This dataset contains measurements of fecal indicator bacteria (Escherichia coli) and microbial source tracking (MST) gene markers (HF183 and EC23S857), as well as detections of culturable E. coli from tile surfaces experimentally inoculated with sewage influent. Swabbing was conducted using three swab types (i.e., polyester, foam, and nylon-flocked) across three surface treatments: wet (immediate recapture), dry (recapture 20–25 minutes post-inoculation), and 24-hours dry. E. coli culture results are reported in colony forming units (CFU) per milliliter (mL), while qPCR-derived gene marker concentrations are expressed as gene copies (GC) per 100 cm². Experiments were conducted in the Harwood laboratory at the University of South Florida to assess swab recapture and efficiency of recovery under varying moisture and time-delay conditions. Data may be used to evaluate microbial persistence on surfaces and inform sampling protocol development for environmental monitoring and public health surveillance.