[Bacterial colonization of the stomach in newborn infants with gastrostomy]

Quantitative bacterial cultures were carried out in 137 gastric aspirates of 52 neonates with gastrostomies due to intestinal malformations. In 28% there was no growth of any organism, in 72% we found one to four bacterial species. Most often enterobacteriaceae, enterococci, pseudomonas aeruginosa, staphylococcus epidermidis and candida albicans could be cultured. We could not find any influence of systemic antibiotic therapy on bacterial colonization of the stomach. On the other hand nystatin given orally significantly decreased colonization by candida albicans. Different types of formulas or breast milk had no influence on types of species isolated. Clinically it was interesting to note that 12/52 children developed diarrhea and that 6 newborns developed septicaemia caused by the same organisms as we had found in elevated numbers in their gastric aspirates.