All issues > Volume 33(4); 1990

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1990;33(4):472-480. Published online April 30, 1990.

Posterior Nasal Swab Culture in Normal Newborns by Feeding Method.

Young Youn Choi¹, Tai Ju Hwang¹, Jae Sook Ma¹, Kwang Ok Lee¹, Byung Hee Kim¹, Young Soo Chung¹, En Kyeong Bom¹, Too Yong Yoo²

¹Department of Pediatrics, Chonnam University Medical School, Kwangju, Korea
²Department of Clinical Pathology, Chonnam University Medical School, Kwangju, Korea

Received: October 23, 1989;  Accepted: February 23, 1990.

Abstract

To evaluate the difference of normal flora between breast and formula-fed newborns, we performed quantitative posterior nasal swab culture in 21 breast-and 44 formula-fed newborns. Positive culture rates of total aerobes and total anaerobes were 100% and 98%, respecitively. Among the aerobes, positive culture rate was 100% in group B streptococcus, 98% in gram negative bacteria, 86% in staphylococcus aureus, 82% in staphylococcus epidermidis in the order. Culture rates above 101 per ml saline of total aerobes and total anaerobes were 100% and 0%, respectively. Among the aerobes, positive culture rate was 80% in staphylococcus aureus, 72% in staphylococcus epidermidis, 55% in enteric gram negative bacteria, 17% in enterococcus in the order. Culture rates above 105 per ml saline of total aerobes and total anaerobes were 83% and 0%, respectively. Among the aerobes, positive culture rate was 25% in staphylococcus aureus, 25% in enteric gram negative bacteria, 14% in staphylococcus epidermidis, 5% in enterococcus in the order. Positive culture rates of staphylococcus aureus and staphylococcus epidermidis were significantly higher in breast-fed group than those in formula-fed group (p<0.05) but there was no difference in culture rates of all species above 101 or 105 per ml saline. Consequently, the positive culture rates of staphylococcus aureus and staphylococcus epidermidis in breast-fed group are significantly higher than those in formula-fed. But further studies are required to evaluate whether these aerobes as a normal flora in posterior nasal mucosa, can play a role in inhibiting the growth of the pathogenic bacteria.

Keywords :Postorior nasal swab culture, Formula-and breast-fed newborn