title: [Bacterial aerosol generated by mechanical ventilators: comparative study].
abstract: Mechanical ventilators generate aerosol which may be bacterially colonized.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the environmental contamination generated by ventilators with two different humidification techniques.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was done comparing the generation of bacterial colonized aerosol by the expiratory valve of mechanical respirators with conventional water nebulization or with hygroscopic condensator as the humidifier source during 15 minutes of observation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The aerosol got positive cultures in 32.2% of the conventional system and in 5% of the condensator system (p = 0.0340).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We concluded that the humidification by the hygroscopic condensator may be an efficient way to reduce environmental bacteria contamination.
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Terapia Intensiva do Hospital 9 de Julho, São Paulo.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.forename: E N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Pellacine
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Zechineli
mesh_terms: D000336:Aerosols; D000391:Air Microbiology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D006801:Humans; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012122:Ventilators, Mechanical
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols