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Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) remains a common complication in critically ill, mechanically ventilated patients. Early diagnosis of this condition is beneficial, allowing immediate appropriate treatment. Unfortunately, early diagnosis is difficult, especially because of the time delay inherent to culture techniques.
Bacteria carried in the aerosolized droplets of exhaled breath reflect the lung microbiota. Such droplets condense in the hygroscopic condenser humidifier/heat moisture exchange filter between the ventilator and the endotracheal tube. These single-use filters have a bactericidal coating that prevents bacterial overgrowth, so organisms collected within them can be quantified.
To test whether exhaled breath condensate fluid …