TY - JOUR

T1 - Used Nasogastric Feeding Tubes from Neonates Contain Infant-Specific Bacterial Profiles

AU - Meinich Juhl, Sandra

AU - Angeliki Krogfelt, Karen

AU - Kot, Witold

AU - Sandris Nielsen, Dennis

AU - Krych, Lukasz

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2023 by the authors.

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Nasogastric feeding tubes (NG-tubes) from neonates contain potentially pathogenic bacteria. Using culture-based techniques, we have previously determined that the usage duration of NG-tubes did not impact the colonization of the nasogastric tubes. In the present study, we performed 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to evaluate the microbial profile of 94 used nasogastric tubes collected from a single neonatal intensive care unit. Using culture-based whole genome sequencing, we as-sessed whether the same strain persisted in NG-tubes collected from the same neonate across different time-points. We found that the most commonly occurring Gram-negative bacteria were Enterobacteriaceae, Klebsiella and Serratia, while the most common Gram-positive bacteria were staphylococci and streptococci. The microbiota of the NG-feeding tube was overall infant-specific, rather than dependent on the duration of use. Furthermore, we determined that reoccurring species from the individual infant represented the same strain and that several strains were common for more than one infant. Our findings indicate that bacterial profiles found in NG-tubes of neonates are host-specific, not dependent on the duration of use and strongly influenced by the environment.

AB - Nasogastric feeding tubes (NG-tubes) from neonates contain potentially pathogenic bacteria. Using culture-based techniques, we have previously determined that the usage duration of NG-tubes did not impact the colonization of the nasogastric tubes. In the present study, we performed 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to evaluate the microbial profile of 94 used nasogastric tubes collected from a single neonatal intensive care unit. Using culture-based whole genome sequencing, we as-sessed whether the same strain persisted in NG-tubes collected from the same neonate across different time-points. We found that the most commonly occurring Gram-negative bacteria were Enterobacteriaceae, Klebsiella and Serratia, while the most common Gram-positive bacteria were staphylococci and streptococci. The microbiota of the NG-feeding tube was overall infant-specific, rather than dependent on the duration of use. Furthermore, we determined that reoccurring species from the individual infant represented the same strain and that several strains were common for more than one infant. Our findings indicate that bacterial profiles found in NG-tubes of neonates are host-specific, not dependent on the duration of use and strongly influenced by the environment.

KW - colonization

KW - contamination

KW - feeding tube

KW - infant

KW - infection risk

KW - neonatal intensive care unit

U2 - 10.3390/microorganisms11061365

DO - 10.3390/microorganisms11061365

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 37374868

AN - SCOPUS:85163831614

VL - 11

JO - Microorganisms

JF - Microorganisms

SN - 2076-2607

IS - 6

M1 - 1365

ER -