Bacterial colonization and antimicrobial resistance genes in neonatal enteral feeding tubes.

ABSTRACT: Enteral feeding is a key component of care in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs); however, feeding tubes harbor microbes. These microbes have the potential to cause disease, yet their source remains controversial and clinical recommendations to reduce feeding tube colonization are lacking. This study aims to improve our understanding of the bacteria in neonatal feeding tubes and to evaluate factors that may affect these bacteria. 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to characterize the bacteria present in pharyngeal, esophageal, and gastric portions of feeding tubes, residual fluid of the tubes, and infant stool using samples from 47 infants. Similar distributions of taxa were observed in all samples, although beta diversity differed by sample type. Feeding tube samples had lower alpha div

SUBMITTER: Taft DH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6449222 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature