Bacteriology of tracheal aspirates in intubated newborn.

The bacteriology of tracheal aspirates from 28 intubated newborn babies was studied. There was no correlation between such colonization and the respiratory distress syndrome. Endotracheal suction of intubated infants did provide a reliable specimen source for determining the etiology of perinatal pneumonia. Presence of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in the aspirate correlated well with infection. Anaerobic bacteria were found to play a role in three of the five cases of pneumonia.