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Nebulizer contamination in a burn unit.

The degree of bacterial contamination of aerosol-generating equipment in use at the U. S. Army Institute of Surgical Research has been assessed, and the effectiveness of a decontamination program recommended by the American Thoracic Society was demonstrated. Before institution of the decontamination procedure, bacteria were recovered from 46 per cent of 382 specimens that were collected from the nebulization chambers of equipment used on 15 patients. Twenty-four per cent of the specimens were contaminated with gram-negative organisms. Pseudomonas species represented 54 per cent and Providencia stuartii 21 per cent of the gram-negative organisms cultured. After the introduction of a decontamination program, bacteria were recovered from only 3.6 per cent of 612 specimens that were collected from the nebulization chambers of equipment used on 27 patients (P <0.001). Aerosol-producing inhalation therapy equipment, a potential source of infection in a burn unit, can be maintained relatively free of bacterial c...