title: Comparison of bacterial counts in expressed breast milk following standard or strict infection control regimens in neonatal intensive care units: compliance of mothers does matter.
abstract: Bacterial counts in 1466 expressed breast milk (EBM) samples from women following one of two infection control regimens (standard vs strict) were investigated. Overall, 12% of samples yielded Gram-negative bacteria, with no significant differences between the standard [11.9% (94/788)] and strict [12.1% (82/678)] regimens (P = 0.92). Significantly more samples were contaminated when expressed at home (standard regimen home/hospital: 17.9% vs 6.1%; strict regimen home/hospital: 19.6% vs 3.4%; P < 0.001). Bacterial contamination of EBM was not associated with the regimen, but was associated with the location of breast milk expression. Attempts to improve personal hygiene during milk collection seem to be of limited value. Good hygiene of collection and storage equipment is likely to be the most important way to ensure the microbiological quality of EBM.
authors: Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Division of Neonatology, Paediatric Intensive Care Medicine and Neuropaediatrics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. Electronic address: nadja.haiden@meduniwien.ac.at.
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Haiden
authors: Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Division of Neonatology, Paediatric Intensive Care Medicine and Neuropaediatrics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Pimpel
authors: Institute for Skin Integrity and Infection Prevention, School of Human and Health Sciences, University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield, UK.
authors: O
authors: O
authors: Assadian
authors: Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Division of Neonatology, Paediatric Intensive Care Medicine and Neuropaediatrics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Binder
authors: Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Division of Neonatology, Paediatric Intensive Care Medicine and Neuropaediatrics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Kreissl
authors: Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Division of Neonatology, Paediatric Intensive Care Medicine and Neuropaediatrics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Repa
authors: Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Division of Neonatology, Paediatric Intensive Care Medicine and Neuropaediatrics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Thanhäuser
authors: Clinical Resolutions Wound Care, Hessle, UK.
authors: C D
authors: CD
authors: Roberts
authors: Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Division of Neonatology, Paediatric Intensive Care Medicine and Neuropaediatrics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Berger
mesh_terms: D058491:Bacterial Load; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods*; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000382:microbiology*; D009035:Mothers; D011446:Prospective Studies
keywords: Contamination; Expressed breast milk; Hygiene regimens; Microbiological screening; Preterm infants