SENSITIVITY PATTERNS IN PATIENTS OF ACUTE SECONDARY BACTERIAL PERITONITIS, AND SUGGESTED EMPIRICAL TREATMENT

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the common pathogens in acute secondary bacterial peritonitis patients in tertiary care hospitals and their sensitivity to the antibiotics commonly prescribed for acute bacterial peritonitis.Material and Methods: We conducted culture sensitivity studies on 25 consecutive laprotomies for secondary peritonitis presented to our Surgical-A ward through Accident and Emergency Department without any advance knowledge of their prior antibiotic therapy or culture sensitivity of the pathogens involved.Results: We were able to get the results for 19 out of 25 cases. They yielded mixed cultures of Gram negative rods and staphylococci. There were three cases of MRS A. They were tested against various antibiotics. Resistance of the Gram negative rods to various antibiotics was also high.Conclusion: Our study revealed a very disturbing trend of occurrence of high resistance strains in patient coming directly from the community. We suggest empirical therapies in view of our results and current medical literature. The high bacterial resistance encountered necessitates use of broad-spectrum and expensive antibiotics.