A comparison of bacterial colonization between nasogastric and orogastric enteral feeding tubes in infants in the neonatal intensive care unit

Enteral feeding tubes are commonly used in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). This study aimed to refine understanding of differences in bacterial colonization between nasogastric and orogastric enteral feeding tubes in hospitalized infants.
In this study, they focused on the pharyngeal segments of the feeding tubes to compare colonization based on tube insertion site (nasal vs oral) and to explore how clinical factors influence colonization.

Authors: Kannikar Vongbhavit^1,2, Lauren K. Salinero³, Karen M. Kalanetra³, Chad Masarweh³, Alice Yu³, Diana H. Taft³, David A. Mills³ and Mark A. Underwood²

¹ Department of Pediatrics, HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Medical Center, Srinakharinwirot University, Nakornayok, Thailand.
² Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA.
³ Department of Food Science and Technology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA. email: munderwood@ucdavis.edu

Journal of Perinatology