Bacteremia and the barium enema.

To investigate the possible association of bacteremia with barium enema examinations, blood samples were obtained from 42 patients before and at 5, 10, and 20 min after administration of the enema. Patients with fever or symptoms suggestive of inflammatory bowel disease were not included in the study; neither were patients who had received antimicrobiotic medication during the preceding 3 months. Pour-plate blood cultures showed no bacteremia due to enteric organism in the 42 patients-a result at variance with previously published reports.