Study of bacterial colonization and infection of the tracheobronchial tree in intubated patients in respiratory intensive paients in resiratory intensive care unit

In this study, serial bacteriological samples including oropharyngeal, endotracheal and lower respiratory tract samples were collected from 20 patients in the respiratory intensive care unit [ICU] who were intubated and mechanically ventilated for at least 3 days. The results of this study showed the prevalence of gram negative bacilli in all bacteriological samples. The lower respiratory tract specimens were collected by the protected specimen brush catheter [PSB catheter] which was useful in both the bacteriological culture and colony count of these specimens to differentiate between colonization and true infection. So, we may recommend its use routinely in bacteriological sampling of such specimens