Microbiologic contamination study of nebulizers after aerosol therapy in patients with cystic fibrosis

Background: To evaluate the contamination of delivery systems after an aero sol therapy session in patients with cystic fibrosis who have chronic Pseud omonas aeruginosa infection. Methods: Fifty-three patients with cystic fibrosis were enrolled in the stu dy from March 1996 to June 1997. All patients were age 7 years or older and had P aeruginosa infection. They also had been treated with recombinant de soxyribonuclease and were capable of producing sputum for culture. Results: Nine devices were excluded for the study. A total of 44 nebulizers were included: 37 from patients with P aeruginosa colonization with a coun t of 10(6) colony-forming units/mL or more and 7 with a count of between 10 (5) colony-forming units/mL and 10(6) colony-forming units/mL. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that in the absence of cleaning, nebuli zers of patients with cystic fibrosis who are infected with P aeruginosa ar e likely to be contaminated by a pathogenic flora.