RESUMO
BACKGROUND: A peritoneal fluid with a positive culture for Candida in patients with associated clinical symptoms enables peritoneal candidiasis (PC) to be diagnosed. This etiology is related to a poor prognosis, thus, it is important to know all the risk factors and to start early an empirical treatment. The risk factors associated with this kind of peritonitis are to receive prolonged antibiotic treatment, nosocomial infection, female gender, involvement of the upper gastro-intestinal (UGI) tract, and the ocurrence of an intraoperative cardiovascular failure (CVF). AIMS: The principal aim was to determine the prevalence of PC in our hospital, and the secondary aims to determine the associated risk factors. METHODS: We obtained samples from 74 patients diagnosed with peritonitis, consecutively from 2007 to 2010. Cultures were performed with the free peritoneal fluid aspirated during surgery. RESULTS: The prevalence of PC obtained in our hospital was 17.6%, from which 46.15% corresponded to Candida albicans. The involvement of the UGI tract and the onset of CVF can be considered risk factors for the development of this pathology. Age, gender, nosocomial infection and previous antibiotic treatment were not related to this pathology. CONCLUSIONS: Our prevalence of PC is 17.6%. The risk factors that could predispose are the involvement of the UGI tract as the cause of peritonitis, and CVF during surgical procedure.