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DOI: 10.48087/BJMS.2026.130309
Authors: Nassila Farah LALLAOUI1, Maissem MADOUI2, Hayet MADANE2, Wahiba AMHIS1, SAMIRGOURARI1
Affiliations:1- Service de microbiologie, CHU Mustapha, Alger, Algérie. 2- Université des sciences de la santé Youcef El Khatib, Alger, Algérie.
Abstract
Introduction & Objectives: Peritonitis is a critical intra-abdominal infection whose management relies on epidemiological, clinical, and microbiological data. This study aimed to identify the causative bacteria, assess their antibiotic resistance profiles, describe the epidemiological characteristics, and track the clinical progression of peritonitis cases. Materials & Methods: This prospective study (January 1 to July 31, 2021) included patients with community-acquired peritonitis (CAP) and nosocomial peritonitis (NP) treated at Mustapha Hospital. Microbiological analyses were performed on intra-abdominal samples in a microbiology laboratory, and a standardized data collection form was completed for each case. Results: A total of 95 cases of peritonitis were collected (63% CAP and 37% NP). A male predominance was observed (sex ratio = 2.3), and patients in the NP group were significantly older (44.9 ± 24 years) than those in the CAP group (25.3 ± 24.3 years) (p < 0.001). Microbiological analysis identified 138 bacterial isolates, predominantly Escherichia coli (35%) and Enterococcus sp. (13%). Resistance of Enterobacteriaceae to cefotaxime was significantly higher among NP isolates than CAP isolates (51.7% vs. 2%, p < 0.001), and carbapenem resistance was recorded at 5.1%. Five methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains and one vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus sp. strain were identified exclusively among NP isolates. The mortality rate was 5% in the CAP group versus 17.1% in the NP group (p = 0.07). Conclusion: This study highlights the key epidemiological and clinical features of peritonitis in our setting. Microbiological analysis is essential for identifying causative pathogens and guiding appropriate antibiotic therapy.
Keywords: peritonitis, bacteria, antibiotic resistance, epidemiology.