Cronobacter Support
04-29-2009, 02:23 PM
1st International Conference on Cronobacter Poster Abstract 14
Colonisation of enteral feeding tubes by Cronobacter spp. and other Enterobacteriaceae
Powdered infant formula has come under considerable attention with regard to its microbial safety. In addition to reconstitution with water >70°C, advice has been given that feeds should be used within 3 hours of preparation to reduce microbial risks. Nevertheless this overlooks the issue of the enteral feeding tubes which can be in place for more than 48 hours, and may act as loci for bacterial attachment and not limited to Cronobacter spp. Twenty-three strains were selected for analysis. These were Cronobacter spp., Enterobacter cloacae, Citrobacter freundii, C. koseri, Pantoea spp., Esch. coli, Esch. hermanii, Esch. vulneris, Klebsiella oxytoca, K. pneumoniae, Hafnia alvei, and Acinetobacter baumanii. Five types of enteral feeding tubes were investigated. These varied in composition, including anti-microbial silver-impregnation, and diameter. Bacterial colonisation was determined using impedance microbiology. All organisms formed biofilms which could not be removed by vigorous washing. The biofilm cell densities varied, for example, on PVC tubing the biofilms were 103, 105 and 107 cfu/cm, for H. alvei, Cr. sakazakii ATCC 12868 and Esch. vulneris respectively. Cr. sakazakii NCTC 11467T formed less dense biofilms than the other strains of Cr. sakazakii. The biofilm on the ‘antibacterial’ tubing was not significantly lower than that of ordinary enteral feeding tubes. Enteral feeding tubes may act as loci for bacterial attachment, and need to be considered with regard to risk of neonatal infections.
Edward Hurrell, Eva Kucerova, Michael Loughlin and Steve Forsythe
School of Biomedical and Natural Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Clifton Lane, Nottingham NG11 8NS, United Kingdom.
Colonisation of enteral feeding tubes by Cronobacter spp. and other Enterobacteriaceae
Powdered infant formula has come under considerable attention with regard to its microbial safety. In addition to reconstitution with water >70°C, advice has been given that feeds should be used within 3 hours of preparation to reduce microbial risks. Nevertheless this overlooks the issue of the enteral feeding tubes which can be in place for more than 48 hours, and may act as loci for bacterial attachment and not limited to Cronobacter spp. Twenty-three strains were selected for analysis. These were Cronobacter spp., Enterobacter cloacae, Citrobacter freundii, C. koseri, Pantoea spp., Esch. coli, Esch. hermanii, Esch. vulneris, Klebsiella oxytoca, K. pneumoniae, Hafnia alvei, and Acinetobacter baumanii. Five types of enteral feeding tubes were investigated. These varied in composition, including anti-microbial silver-impregnation, and diameter. Bacterial colonisation was determined using impedance microbiology. All organisms formed biofilms which could not be removed by vigorous washing. The biofilm cell densities varied, for example, on PVC tubing the biofilms were 103, 105 and 107 cfu/cm, for H. alvei, Cr. sakazakii ATCC 12868 and Esch. vulneris respectively. Cr. sakazakii NCTC 11467T formed less dense biofilms than the other strains of Cr. sakazakii. The biofilm on the ‘antibacterial’ tubing was not significantly lower than that of ordinary enteral feeding tubes. Enteral feeding tubes may act as loci for bacterial attachment, and need to be considered with regard to risk of neonatal infections.
Edward Hurrell, Eva Kucerova, Michael Loughlin and Steve Forsythe
School of Biomedical and Natural Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Clifton Lane, Nottingham NG11 8NS, United Kingdom.