Culture-Based Identification of Causative Organisms in Ascitic Fluids of Patients with Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis Secondary to Decompensated Liver Disease and their Sensitivities to Ceftriaxone as an Empiric Therapy

OBJECTIVES To identify the pathogens in the ascitic fluids of patients with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and then to determine their sensitivity pattern to ceftriaxone. METHODOLOGY The cross-sectional study was conducted at the Medical Unit-A, Department of Medicine, Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar, from November 2021 to April 2022. Before ceftriaxone treatment was started, a minimum of 10 ml of ascitic fluid was introduced into a blood culture vial. Only patients with a positive culture were registered, and their information was gathered using a proforma. For statistical analysis, SPSS version 23 was used. RESULTSA total of 96 patients were enrolled in our study. There were 62 (59.52%) male and 34 (40.48%) female patients. Based on the isolation and identification of bacteria, the most prevalent bacteria isolated was Escherichia coli in 36 (37.5%) patients, followed by Acinetobacter Spp in 13 (13.54%) patients, Streptococcus spp in 14 (14.58%), Enterococcus spp in 11 (11.45%), Staphylococcus aureus in 9 (9.39%), MRSA in 8(8.33%) and K. Pneumonia in 5(5.21%) patients. The overall sensitivity of ceftriaxone to gram-positive bacteria was observed in 12 (42.85%) isolates, whereas the overall sensitivity of ceftriaxone to gram-negative bacteria was observed in 25 (36.76%) isolates. (p=0.091) (Figure 6). CONCLUSION Our study concludes that gram-negative bacteria were more prevalent than gram-positive bacteria in ascitic fluids of patients with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. The most common isolated pathogen was E.coli. Gram-negative was more resistant to ceftriaxone as compared to gram-positive bacteria.