Under a low magnification of 38x, this 2007 scanning electron micrograph (SEM) shows the fibrous configuration of a dry macrofoam sponge swabs. This swab, was scanned for a CDC study involving their efficiency in recovery of Bacillus anthracis bacterial spores from steel coupons that had been inoculated with a spore suspension of known concentration. Results indicated that premoistened swabs were more efficient at recovering spores than dry swabs. Photo by Janice Carr