| Summary: | <strong>Objectives:</strong> We evaluated ‘pre-laboratory’ factors associated with the detection of extended spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-E) colonization including anatomical site, and staff and patient factors. <strong>Methods:</strong> All admissions to a large London hospital over 3 months were approached to provide rectal and perineal swabs, which were cultured for ESBL-E using chromogenic media. ESBL-E detection rates for patient- or staff-collected rectal or perineal swabs were compared using McNemar tests. Binary logistic regression was used to explore factors associated with patients declining to provide a rectal swab. The impact of simplifying the verbal study description to patients to improve the participation rate was evaluated. <strong>Results:</strong> Carriage of ESBL-E was significantly higher in rectal swabs than perineal swabs (7.8% of 4006 versus 3.8% of 4006, p <0.001), whether collected by staff or patients; 31.9% of 869 patients did not provide a rectal swab before the change in study description compared with 7.6% of 3690 patients afterwards (p <0.001). In multivariable analysis, factors associated with patients declining to provide a rectal swab were younger age (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.99–1.00), female gender (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.04–1.52), transfers from other hospitals (OR 1.77, 95% CI 1.07–2.93) or an unknown admission route (OR 1.61, 95% CI 1.09–2.37), being admitted before the change in study description (OR 0.39, 95% CI 0.31–0.48), and the staff member who consented the patient (p <0.001); ethnicity was not a significant factor. <strong>Conclusions:</strong> Rectal swabs are recommended for the detection of ESBL-E colonization. Staff and patient factors influence whether patients participate in prevalence studies, which may skew their findings.
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