Analysis of sites of bacterial contamination in an enteral feeding system

Background: Contamination of enteral feedings is an often overlooked source for bacterial infection in the intensive care unit. A new 1-L enteral feeding system with minimal chances of touching critical areas (Nutrison Pack) was compared with routinely used 0.5-L glass bottle systems. Methods: Patients admitted to intensive care were randomized to Pack or glass bottle feeding systems. Cultures were taken from the delivery sets 5 times during the day and from feeding containers and different sites of the system after 24 hours. Results: Bacteria were present in 3 of 112 glass bottles and in 2 of 95 Pack bags. True bacterial contamination (defined as >10(2) colony-forming units/mL, with same bacteria also present in the delivery set) was found in -none of the Packs with a 12-h (69 Packs) or a 24-h (26 Packs) hanging time and in only 1 of the glass bottles with a hanging time of