Differential Uptake and Release of Female Genital Secretions Components and HPV DNA by Veil, Swab, and Vaginal Tampon

Background/Objectives: Self-collection devices are more widely used than ever for detecting sexually transmitted infections and cervical cancer. Despite this, we still lack a clear understanding of how well these tools actually collect and release the necessary molecular samples. This study compared the in vitro uptake and release performance of commonly used self-sampling devices for total proteins, nucleic acids, and episomal human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) DNA. Methods: An artificial cervicovaginal fluid composed of phosphate-buffered saline supplemented with serum and nucleic acid extracts was serially diluted 2-fold. Each dilution was applied for 5 min to the external surfaces of a vaginal veil (Vaginal Veil Collector V-Veil UP2TM device), a flocked swab (FLOQSwabs®), and a commercial vaginal tampon. Non-woven surgical tissue and plastic film served as controls. Total proteins and nucleic acids were quantified by spectrophotometry, and HPV-16 DNA by real-time quantitative PCR. Results: Recovery rates for proteins and nucleic acids were highest for the vaginal veil (81% and 91%), followed by the swab (66% and 70%) and non-woven tissue (44% and 47%). In contrast, the tampon and plastic film performed poorly, releasing less than 30% of proteins and negligible amounts of nucleic acids. Episomal HPV-16 DNA release was highest for the veil (89%), compared with the swab (57%), non-woven tissue (37%), tampon (4%), and plastic film (2%). Conclusions: The vaginal veil demonstrated superior uptake and release of proteins, nucleic acids, and HPV-16 DNA at physiological concentrations. Its non-absorbent structure allows high saturation with efficient release of genital components, including microbial genomes, whereas vaginal tampons retained these components, limiting analytical recovery.