The present disclosure relates to a medical material or surgical sponge including an integral construction having a plurality of micro-particle taggants that are UV or radio wave detectable. The sponge includes a fibrous, nonwoven fabric containing entangled fibers arranged in an interconnecting patterned relationship in a plane of the fabric, and at least one UV or radio wave detectable element positioned interiorly of the fibrous nonwoven fabric in the plane. The fibers of the nonwoven fabric may be inter twined about the micro-particle taggants.