Table 2.

Clinical data and the results of DGGE, species-specific PCR and sputum culture

Patient number	ETT number	Intubated Period (d)	Disease	Species-specific PCR							Sputum culture
				S. mitis	S. oralis	S. mutans	S. salivas	S. pneumoniae	K. pneumoniae	P. aeruginosa
1	1	4	Premature, Respiratory failure	+					+	+	Normal flora
2	2	5	NRDS, Respiratory failure	+						+	Normal flora
3	3	1	NRDS, Respiratory failure							+	Normal flora
4	4	2	Pneumonia, Respiratory failure							+	Normal flora
5	5	4	NRDS, Respiratory failure	+	+					+	Normal flora
6	6	5	NRDS, Respiratory failure							+	Normal flora
7	7	4	Premature, Respiratory failure	+				+	+	+	Normal flora
8	8	7	NRDS, Respiratory failure	+					+	+	Klebsiella pneumoniae
9	9	3	Pneumonia,	+						+	Klebsiella pneumoniae
10	10	3	NRDS, Respiratory failure		+				+	+	Klebsiella pneumoniae
11	11	2	Pneumonia, Respiratory failure	+					+	+	Klebsiella pneumoniae
12	12	4	Pneumonia	+					+	+	Klebsiella pneumoniae
13	13	2	NRDS, Respiratory failure								Klebsiella pneumoniae
14a	14	1	Pneumonia, Respiratory failure	+	+				+	+	Klebsiella pneumoniae
14b	15	6		+	+				+		Klebsiella pneumoniae
15a	16	6	NRDS						+	+	Klebsiella pneumoniae
15b	17	1							+	+	Klebsiella pneumoniae
15c	18	2		+						+	Klebsiella pneumoniae
16a	19	1	Pneumonia						+	+	No bacterial growth
16b	20	5		+							No bacterial growth
17a	21	3	NRDS	+						+	Normal flora
17b	22	4		+					+	+	Normal flora
18a	23	3	NRDS, Pneumonia				+		+	+	Klebsiella pneumoniae
18b	24	3						+	+	+	Klebsiella pneumoniae
18c	25	2		+						+	Klebsiella pneumoniae
19a	26	2	Pneumonia, Respiratory failure	+				+		+	Acinetobacterbaumannii
19b	27	1		+					+	+	Acinetobacterbaumannii
20a	28	3	Pneumonia	+							--
20b	29	2		+						+	--

Note: Normal Flora-defined as no detectable outgrowth of common VAP associated pathogens from the sputum culture. The sputum culture for patient 20 was excluded due to contamination so no data is reported. NRDS, Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome.