A five-year survey of pneumococcal peritonitis in two Danish counties--incidence, diagnosis and clinical entities.

Eighteen patients with pneumococcal peritonitis were hospitalized in a five-year survey period from a Danish catchment population of 730 000 (0.5/100 000/year). They were naturally divided into three groups: (1) six children with appendicitis; (2) eight women of childbearing age with pelvic inflammatory disease (PID); and (3) four elderly patients with ulcerating gastric diseases. Complications were observed in six patients. All infections were community-acquired, but the pneumococcal etiology was not suspected before the organism was isolated in the laboratory. A classification of peritonitis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae is discussed.