title: Mechanical bowel preparation does not affect the intramucosal bacterial colony count.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine if mechanical bowel preparation (MBP) influences the intramucosal bacterial colony count in the colon.
  
  
  METHODS
  Macroscopically normal colon mucosa was collected from 37 patients (20 with and 17 without MBP) who were undergoing elective colorectal surgery at three hospitals. The biopsies were processed and cultured in the same laboratory. Colony counts of the common pathogens Escherichia coli and Bacteroides as well as of total bacteria were conducted. The study groups were comparable with regard to age, gender, antibiotics use, diagnosis and type of resection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MBP did not influence the median colony count of E. coli, Bacteroides or total bacteria in our study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MBP did not affect the intramucosal bacterial count in this study. Further studies are suggested to confirm these findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Perioperative Sciences, University of Umeå, Umeå, Sweden. barbel.jung@hsf.gotland.se
authors.forename: Bärbel
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Matthiessen
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Smedh
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nilsson
authors.forename: Ulrika
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ransjö
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Påhlman
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001419:Bacteria / Q000166:cytology; D001439:Bacteroides / Q000166:cytology; D001706:Biopsy; D003106:Colon / Q000382:microbiology*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003107:Colorectal Surgery / Q000379:methods*; D013505:Digestive System Surgical Procedures; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000166:cytology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011300:Preoperative Care
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents