Surveillance culture and Gram staining for detecting the causative bacteria of ventilator-associated pneumonia in neonates

Background: To investigate the efficacy of surveillance culture for the rapid detection of pathogens associated with ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in neonates. Methods A retrospective study was conducted on all patients with VAP in the neonatal intensive care unit. Whether causative bacteria on the culture of tracheal aspirates obtained at the onset of VAP matched with those on Gram staining and weekly surveillance culture was investigated. Result The concordance rate between surveillance culture using samples collected 4–10 days before VAP and causative bacteria was 53%. When Gram staining was performed at the onset of VAP, the concordance rate significantly increased to 86% (p = 0.022). Conclusions The concurrent use of surveillance culture and Gram staining for the detection of causative bacteria may be effective in determining initial treatment among neonates with VAP.