swab

Dr Charlotte Murphy said she analysed DNA swabs taken from Ms Hand's body and clothes after the alleged assault.

When Ms Guy arrived she was shown into the salon where she said there “was blood splatter up the walls” and “gauze swabs lying around that had still got blood on from the previous person”.

This year, biologists collected samples from nine sites in California, swabbing the diminutive animals’ noses and forearms, said Katrina Smith, statewide coordinator for small mammal conservation for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

They also conduct their own in-house testing, which can include extensive swabbing of surfaces, raw ingredients, finished products and areas where listeria is known to thrive, such as floor drains.

The market was closed and teams swabbed locations including stalls, the inside of animal cages and equipment used to strip fur and feathers from slaughtered animals.