U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Format

Send to:

Choose Destination

Colonization

MedGen UID:
927299
•Concept ID:
C4289767
•
Finding

Definition

The presence of microorganisms (not contamination) on a body surface, including the skin and mucosal surfaces (e.g., respiratory, gastrointestinal, and urogenital tracts). Colonization implies the lack of signs or symptoms of infection but often precedes infection. [from NCI]

Term Hierarchy

CClinical test,  RResearch test,  OOMIM,  GGeneReviews,  VClinVar  
  • CROGVColonization

Professional guidelines

PubMed

Acne Vulgaris: Diagnosis and Treatment.
Oge' LK, Broussard A, Marshall MD
Am Fam Physician 2019 Oct 15;100(8):475-484. PMID: 31613567
Pathogenesis and clinical management of Helicobacter pylori gastric infection.
de Brito BB, da Silva FAF, Soares AS, Pereira VA, Santos MLC, Sampaio MM, Neves PHM, de Melo FF
World J Gastroenterol 2019 Oct 7;25(37):5578-5589. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v25.i37.5578. PMID: 31602159Free PMC Article
Diagnosis and treatment of acne.
Titus S, Hodge J
Am Fam Physician 2012 Oct 15;86(8):734-40. PMID: 23062156

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Comparison of microbial colonization rates between central venous catheters and peripherally inserted central catheters.
Pitiriga V, Bakalis J, Theodoridou K, Dimitroulia E, Saroglou G, Tsakris A
Antimicrob Resist Infect Control 2023 Aug 7;12(1):74. doi: 10.1186/s13756-023-01285-1. PMID: 37550791Free PMC Article
Supplementation of Probiotics in Pregnant Women Targeting Group B Streptococcus Colonization: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Menichini D, Chiossi G, Monari F, De Seta F, Facchinetti F
Nutrients 2022 Oct 27;14(21) doi: 10.3390/nu14214520. PMID: 36364782Free PMC Article
Burn Wound Colonization, Infection, and Sepsis.
Ladhani HA, Yowler CJ, Claridge JA
Surg Infect (Larchmt) 2021 Feb;22(1):44-48. Epub 2020 Oct 20 doi: 10.1089/sur.2020.346. PMID: 33085576
Understanding Clostridium difficile Colonization.
Crobach MJT, Vernon JJ, Loo VG, Kong LY, Péchiné S, Wilcox MH, Kuijper EJ
Clin Microbiol Rev 2018 Apr;31(2) Epub 2018 Mar 14 doi: 10.1128/CMR.00021-17. PMID: 29540433Free PMC Article
Streptococcus pyogenes adhesion and colonization.
Brouwer S, Barnett TC, Rivera-Hernandez T, Rohde M, Walker MJ
FEBS Lett 2016 Nov;590(21):3739-3757. Epub 2016 Jul 1 doi: 10.1002/1873-3468.12254. PMID: 27312939

Diagnosis

Maternal Colonization With Group B Streptococcus and Serotype Distribution Worldwide: Systematic Review and Meta-analyses.
Russell NJ, Seale AC, O'Driscoll M, O'Sullivan C, Bianchi-Jassir F, Gonzalez-Guarin J, Lawn JE, Baker CJ, Bartlett L, Cutland C, Gravett MG, Heath PT, Le Doare K, Madhi SA, Rubens CE, Schrag S, Sobanjo-Ter Meulen A, Vekemans J, Saha SK, Ip M; GBS Maternal Colonization Investigator Group
Clin Infect Dis 2017 Nov 6;65(suppl_2):S100-S111. doi: 10.1093/cid/cix658. PMID: 29117327Free PMC Article
Postoperative fungal infections.
Eggimann P, Pittet D
Surg Infect (Larchmt) 2006;7 Suppl 2:S53-6. doi: 10.1089/sur.2006.7.s2-53. PMID: 16895507
A bedside scoring system ("Candida score") for early antifungal treatment in nonneutropenic critically ill patients with Candida colonization.
León C, Ruiz-Santana S, Saavedra P, Almirante B, Nolla-Salas J, Alvarez-Lerma F, Garnacho-Montero J, León MA; EPCAN Study Group
Crit Care Med 2006 Mar;34(3):730-7. doi: 10.1097/01.CCM.0000202208.37364.7D. PMID: 16505659
Botulism.
Sobel J
Clin Infect Dis 2005 Oct 15;41(8):1167-73. Epub 2005 Aug 29 doi: 10.1086/444507. PMID: 16163636
Candiduria.
Kauffman CA
Clin Infect Dis 2005 Sep 15;41 Suppl 6:S371-6. doi: 10.1086/430918. PMID: 16108001

Therapy

Acceptability and safety of the menstrual cup: A systematic review of the literature.
Arenas-Gallo C, Ramírez-Rocha G, González-Hakspiel L, Merlano-Alcendra C, Palomino-Suárez D, Rueda-Espinel S
Rev Colomb Obstet Ginecol 2020 Jun;71(2):163-177. doi: 10.18597/rcog.3425. PMID: 32770872
Management and Prevention of Central Venous Catheter-Related Infections in the ICU.
Buetti N, Timsit JF
Semin Respir Crit Care Med 2019 Aug;40(4):508-523. Epub 2019 Oct 4 doi: 10.1055/s-0039-1693705. PMID: 31585477
The pros, cons, and many unknowns of probiotics.
Suez J, Zmora N, Segal E, Elinav E
Nat Med 2019 May;25(5):716-729. Epub 2019 May 6 doi: 10.1038/s41591-019-0439-x. PMID: 31061539
A Review of Combination Antimicrobial Therapy for Enterococcus faecalis Bloodstream Infections and Infective Endocarditis.
Beganovic M, Luther MK, Rice LB, Arias CA, Rybak MJ, LaPlante KL
Clin Infect Dis 2018 Jul 2;67(2):303-309. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciy064. PMID: 29390132Free PMC Article
Vancomycin-resistant enterococci.
Gin AS, Zhanel GG
Ann Pharmacother 1996 Jun;30(6):615-24. doi: 10.1177/106002809603000610. PMID: 8792949

Prognosis

Prevalence and incidence of carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae colonization: systematic review and meta-analysis.
Tesfa T, Mitiku H, Edae M, Assefa N
Syst Rev 2022 Nov 15;11(1):240. doi: 10.1186/s13643-022-02110-3. PMID: 36380387Free PMC Article
Effect of a Multi-Strain Probiotic on the Incidence and Severity of Necrotizing Enterocolitis and Feeding Intolerances in Preterm Neonates.
Sowden M, van Weissenbruch MM, Bulabula ANH, van Wyk L, Twisk J, van Niekerk E
Nutrients 2022 Aug 12;14(16) doi: 10.3390/nu14163305. PMID: 36014810Free PMC Article
Central venous catheter-related bloodstream infection and colonization: the impact of insertion site and distribution of multidrug-resistant pathogens.
Pitiriga V, Kanellopoulos P, Bakalis I, Kampos E, Sagris I, Saroglou G, Tsakris A
Antimicrob Resist Infect Control 2020 Dec 1;9(1):189. doi: 10.1186/s13756-020-00851-1. PMID: 33261661Free PMC Article
Early Onset Sepsis.
Johnson K, Messier S
S D Med 2016 Jan;69(1):29-33. PMID: 26882580
Cystic fibrosis in India.
Kabra SK, Kabra M, Lodha R, Shastri S
Pediatr Pulmonol 2007 Dec;42(12):1087-94. doi: 10.1002/ppul.20677. PMID: 17968991

Clinical prediction guides

Impact of environmental hygiene interventions on healthcare-associated infections and patient colonization: a systematic review.
Peters A, Schmid MN, Parneix P, Lebowitz D, de Kraker M, Sauser J, Zingg W, Pittet D
Antimicrob Resist Infect Control 2022 Feb 19;11(1):38. doi: 10.1186/s13756-022-01075-1. PMID: 35183259Free PMC Article
Helicobacter pylori colonization and obesity - a Mendelian randomization study.
den Hollander WJ, Broer L, Schurmann C, Meyre D, den Hoed CM, Mayerle J, Hofman A, Homuth G, Uitterlinden AG, Lerch MM, Kuipers EJ
Sci Rep 2017 Oct 31;7(1):14467. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-14106-4. PMID: 29089580Free PMC Article
A Revised Classification System and Recommendations From the Baltimore Consensus Meeting for Neoplastic Precursor Lesions in the Pancreas.
Basturk O, Hong SM, Wood LD, Adsay NV, Albores-Saavedra J, Biankin AV, Brosens LA, Fukushima N, Goggins M, Hruban RH, Kato Y, Klimstra DS, Klöppel G, Krasinskas A, Longnecker DS, Matthaei H, Offerhaus GJ, Shimizu M, Takaori K, Terris B, Yachida S, Esposito I, Furukawa T; Baltimore Consensus Meeting
Am J Surg Pathol 2015 Dec;39(12):1730-41. doi: 10.1097/PAS.0000000000000533. PMID: 26559377Free PMC Article
Predictive value of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) nasal swab PCR assay for MRSA pneumonia.
Dangerfield B, Chung A, Webb B, Seville MT
Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2014;58(2):859-64. Epub 2013 Nov 25 doi: 10.1128/AAC.01805-13. PMID: 24277023Free PMC Article
A bedside scoring system ("Candida score") for early antifungal treatment in nonneutropenic critically ill patients with Candida colonization.
León C, Ruiz-Santana S, Saavedra P, Almirante B, Nolla-Salas J, Alvarez-Lerma F, Garnacho-Montero J, León MA; EPCAN Study Group
Crit Care Med 2006 Mar;34(3):730-7. doi: 10.1097/01.CCM.0000202208.37364.7D. PMID: 16505659

Recent systematic reviews

ESCMID/EUCIC clinical practice guidelines on perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis in patients colonized by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria before surgery.
Righi E, Mutters NT, Guirao X, Del Toro MD, Eckmann C, Friedrich AW, Giannella M, Kluytmans J, Presterl E, Christaki E, Cross ELA, Visentin A, Sganga G, Tsioutis C, Tacconelli E
Clin Microbiol Infect 2023 Apr;29(4):463-479. Epub 2022 Dec 22 doi: 10.1016/j.cmi.2022.12.012. PMID: 36566836
Impact of environmental hygiene interventions on healthcare-associated infections and patient colonization: a systematic review.
Peters A, Schmid MN, Parneix P, Lebowitz D, de Kraker M, Sauser J, Zingg W, Pittet D
Antimicrob Resist Infect Control 2022 Feb 19;11(1):38. doi: 10.1186/s13756-022-01075-1. PMID: 35183259Free PMC Article
Risk Factors for Invasive Candida Infection in Critically Ill Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
Thomas-Rüddel DO, Schlattmann P, Pletz M, Kurzai O, Bloos F
Chest 2022 Feb;161(2):345-355. Epub 2021 Oct 18 doi: 10.1016/j.chest.2021.08.081. PMID: 34673022Free PMC Article
Maternal Colonization With Group B Streptococcus and Serotype Distribution Worldwide: Systematic Review and Meta-analyses.
Russell NJ, Seale AC, O'Driscoll M, O'Sullivan C, Bianchi-Jassir F, Gonzalez-Guarin J, Lawn JE, Baker CJ, Bartlett L, Cutland C, Gravett MG, Heath PT, Le Doare K, Madhi SA, Rubens CE, Schrag S, Sobanjo-Ter Meulen A, Vekemans J, Saha SK, Ip M; GBS Maternal Colonization Investigator Group
Clin Infect Dis 2017 Nov 6;65(suppl_2):S100-S111. doi: 10.1093/cid/cix658. PMID: 29117327Free PMC Article
Diagnosis and treatment of Clostridium difficile in adults: a systematic review.
Bagdasarian N, Rao K, Malani PN
JAMA 2015 Jan 27;313(4):398-408. doi: 10.1001/jama.2014.17103. PMID: 25626036Free PMC Article

Supplemental Content

Table of contents

    Practice guidelines

    • PubMed
      See practice and clinical guidelines in PubMed. The search results may include broader topics and may not capture all published guidelines. See the FAQ for details.
    • Bookshelf
      See practice and clinical guidelines in NCBI Bookshelf. The search results may include broader topics and may not capture all published guidelines. See the FAQ for details.

    Related information

    • PMC Articles
      Related information in PubMed Central Links
    • PubMed
      Related literature resources in PubMed

    Recent activity

    Clear Turn Off Turn On

    Your browsing activity is empty.

    Activity recording is turned off.

    Turn recording back on

    See more...