Gastric Bacterial Colonization of Preterm Neonates

Christiana Care Health Services122 enrolled

Overview

This prospective cohort study was conducted in the Christiana Care Health System Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. It occurred at two time periods: Time period 1 included infants admitted to the traditional, open bay NICU. Time period 2 included infants admitted to the new private, single family room NICU. There was a 3 month period between Time period 1 and Time period 2 to ensure that there was no patient overlap. Stool samples and environmental samples were collected at 1 and 4 weeks after birth in both time periods. The objective of this study was to establish the gastrointestinal microbiome of infants born at less than 32 weeks gestation admitted to the exiting open bay NICU and compare it to the gastrointestinal microbiome of infants born at less than 32 weeks admitted to the new private, single family room NICU.

Study Type

OBSERVATIONAL

Enrollment

122

Conditions

Microbial Colonization Preterm Birth

Interventions

ObservationalOTHER

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 1 WeekMax age: 6 MonthsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Less than 32 weeks gestation at birth Exclusion Criteria: * Infants in Time period 2 that were admitted to the traditional, open bay NICU

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Microorganisms identified in stool samples

Microorganisms identified in stool samples obtained at weeks 1 and 4 of life using the 16s rRNA sequencing based technique.

Time frame: 4 weeks

Secondary Outcomes

Microorganisms identified in environmental samples

Microorganisms identified in samples obtained from the counter, floor, and incubator top or inside wall at weeks 1 and 4 of life using the 16 s rRNA sequencing based technique.