MICROBIOLOGIC CONTAMINATION STUDY OF NEBULIZER DRUG SOLUTION

• Published in: JIBI INKOKA TEMBO Vol. 49; no. Supplement1; pp. 51 - 56
• Main Authors: Oki, Motofumi, Mochigi, Shigeki, Ogoshi, Toshio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: Society of Oto-rhino-laryngology Tokyo 2006; 耳鼻咽喉科展望会
• Subjects: contamination; disinfection; nebulizer therapy; ネブライザー; 消毒; 溶液汚染
• ISSN: 0386-9687; 1883-6429
• DOI: 10.11453/orltokyo1958.49.Supplement1_51

Nebulizer therapy has been widely used for nasal and laryngopharyngeal disease. The nebulizer drug solution contamination is a major concern for which few reports have been made. We surveyed nebulizer solution contamination, its causes, when they occur whether by inspiration or by the nebulizer, and backflow contamination of the nebulizer solution from the patient. We focused on one ultrasonic nebulizer and two jet nebulizers. Our results suggest the following : 1. No bacteria were observed in any drug solution at preparation. 2. No contamination by inspiration or nebulizer was observed in the jet nebulizer drug solution. 3. Contamination by the apparatus was not detected in the ultrasonic nebulizer. 4. No bacteria were detected in external tubes, internal tubes, or and drug solution tanks after patients used the jet nebulizer. 5. No bacteria were detected in external tubes or drug solution tanks after patients used the supersonic nebulizer. Glucose nonfermenting gram-negative rods such as Empedobacter brevis and Alcaligenes xylosoxidans were detected, however, in solution tanks after use by the patient.