噴霧器之臨床應用與感染管制

Application of Nebulizers in Clinical Care

呼吸道之自然防衛機轉可抵禦外來微生物的侵襲，但當人體免疫力下降時，致病菌就可能經由內源性或外源性感染途徑進入呼吸道造成感染。臨床上常使用噴霧器做為呼吸道疾病給藥工具，其可霧化藥物至0.5～10 µm，透過吸入方式進入下呼吸道達到祛痰或治療呼吸道炎症反應之療效。然而，噴霧器若照護不當也可能因外源性感染途徑造成噴霧器汙染，增加病人呼吸道菌種移生或是呼吸道感染之風險。因此，醫護人員應了解和遵行噴霧治療臨床照護措施，以降低病人呼吸道感染之危險性。

The natural defense mechanisms of the respiratory tract can aid in the protection against foreign microbial invasion. However, bacteria normally cause respiratory tract infections by endogenous or exogenous routes when patient immunity is compromised. Nebulizers have wide clinical applications and are used as clinical tools; nebulizers can aerosolize medicines from approximately 0.5-10 µm distance to reach the lower respiratory tract, thereby inducing expectorant action to treat the inflammatory or respiratory infections. However, nebulizers can be contaminated by the exogenous route owing to improper care. This increases the risks of colonization or respiratory tract infections. Therefore, health care workers should understand and comply with the guidelines of steam inhalation clinical care to reduce the risk of respiratory infection.