Bacterial colonization and infection in an intensive care unit.

One hundred and one patients, nursed in an intensive care unit for at least 24 h, were monitored for bacterial colonization and infection. The infection rates were similar to those in other reports. Patients were not generally colonized with common environmental strains in the unit. Bacterial dissemination between patients was uncommon. No gentamicin resistant gram negative or Staphylococcus aureus strains were observed, nor methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains. The hypothesis that these favourable conditions are partly related to the excellent isolation and barrier nursing facilities in the unit cannot be fully substantiated.