Abstract:ObjectiveTo realize the condition and clinical characteristics of bacterial colonization in newborns in a neonatal intensive care unit(NICU).Methods277 newborns admitted in a NICU from April, 2011 to March 2012 were as studied subjects, newborns’ pharyngeal swab, induced sputum, umbilical secretion and blood specimens were screened for bacterial colonization or infection, newborns without infection were only performed pharyngeal swab culture.ResultsTwentynine newborns’ specimens were detected bacteria,bacterial isolation rate was 10.47%; the isolated bacteria included 19 Staphylococcus epidermidis isolates, 5 Escherichia coli, 3 Klebsiella pneumoniae, 1 Staphylococcus aureus and 1 Enterobacter cloacae.Bacterial isolation rate was 2.20%, 21.54% and 36.67% in newborns aged ≤2 d, 3-7 d and 8-28 d respectively, bacterial isolation rate between newborns ≤2 d and 3-7 d as well as 8-28 d was both significant （χ2=26.52, χ2=46.54 respectively，both P＜0.01）,the difference between bacterial isolation rate of newborns aged 3-7 d and 8-28 d was not significant（χ2=2.42，P＞0.05）. ConclusionThe main colonized bacteria in newborns in this NICU is Staphylococcus epidermidis. Bacterial colonization rate is low in newborns within 48 hours after birth, clinical screen of colonized bacteria is not significant, screen on colonized bacteria in newborns within 48 hours after birth is not recommended, and screen on bacterial colonization in newborns 3 d after birth is suggested.