Deciphering Bacterial Community Succession and Pathogen Dynamics in ICU Ventilator Circuits Through Full-Length 16S rRNA Sequencing for Mitigating the Risk of Nosocomial Infections.

ABSTRACT: The rapid evolution of ventilators and their circuits, coupled with varying maximum usage durations set by different hospitals globally, poses a significant risk for the proliferation and transmission of nosocomial infections in intensive care settings. This study investigated temporal changes in bacterial community structure and predicted metabolic functions in ventilator circuits over a three-week period, with a specific focus on ESKAPE pathogens. The results of full-length 16S rRNA sequencing revealed dynamic shifts in bacterial communities, with an increased bacterial diversity and unique species prevalence in week-2 compared to week-1 and week-3. However, a marked emergence of pathogenic bacteria, including Serratia marcescens and Chryseobacterium indologenes, was observ

SUBMITTER: Tsai HC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12471920 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature