Neonatal primary peritonitis in Nigeria

Focal Bacterial Infections

“…These features are probably less a characteristic of bacterial peritonitis in the newborn than of the primary surgical and septic conditions that are responsible for its occurrence (particularly NEC). There seems to be a female preponderance among newborns with primary peritonitis [235,242]. A high incidence of congenital anomalies not involving the intestinal tract has also been observed among neonates with peritonitis [231,236,243,244].…”

“…Gram-positive cocci were also the major isolates in other series of peritonitis associated with hematogenous dissemination of organisms or extension from a peripheral suppurative focus. * Many of the cases caused by S. aureus occurred before the advent of antibiotics or during the worldwide pandemic of staphylococcal disease in the late 1950s, whereas streptococci, particularly GBS, have been a prominent cause in recent years [242,[249][250][251][252][253].…”

“…Absence of definition of the right inferior hepatic margin, increased density of soft tissue, and the presence of "floating" loops of bowel have been recorded as positive signs of ascites [226,268]. Diagnostic paracentesis can be useful in determining whether the fluid is caused by bacterial peritonitis [242,251,269,270], hemoperitoneum, chylous ascites [271], or bile peritonitis [272].…”

Neonatal omphalitis: A review of its serious complications

“…During the procedure, all intraperitoneal pus is evacuated and involved umbilical vessels excised. Interestingly, Holve 18, Duggen 19 and Bell 20 described several babies with this condition who were managed conservatively with parenteral antibiotics. The authors stress that a “surgical” abdomen must first be excluded.…”