Bacteriological Profile and Antibiotic Resistance of Pleural Infections: A literature Review

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Published Jul 12, 2026
https://doi.org/10.62438/tunismed.v104i07.5411
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Vol. 104 No. 07 (2026): Tunis Med Jul 2026

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Amjad Idrissi
Laboratory of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Laboratory of Microbiology, Mohammed VI University Hospital, Oujda, Morocco
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4089-1074
Abderrazak Saddari
Laboratory of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Laboratory of Microbiology, Mohammed VI University Hospital, Oujda, Morocco
Said Ezrari
Laboratory of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Mohammed VI University Hospital, Oujda, Morocco
Sohaib El Kandouni
Laboratory of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Laboratory of Microbiology, Mohammed VI University Hospital, Oujda, Morocco
Elmostafa Benaissa
Department of Bacteriology, Mohammed V Teaching Military Hospital, Epidemiology and Bacterial Resistance Research Team/BIO-INOVA Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco
Yassine Ben Lahlou
Department of Bacteriology, Mohammed V Teaching Military Hospital, Epidemiology and Bacterial Resistance Research Team/BIO-INOVA Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco
Mostafa Elouennass
Department of Bacteriology, Mohammed V Teaching Military Hospital, Epidemiology and Bacterial Resistance Research Team/BIO-INOVA Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco
Adil Maleb
Laboratory of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Laboratory of Microbiology, Mohammed VI University Hospital, Oujda, Morocco

Abstract

Pleural infection remains a medical challenge with serious consequences for the health and lives of individuals worldwide. The diagnosis of pleural effusion (PE) infection shows that the isolated micro-organisms exhibit substantial resistance to standard prescribed antibiotics. Therefore, the
selection of appropriate antibiotics for treatment should be based on microbiological findings. Understanding the microbiology of pleural infections is essential for making informed choices about antibiotic therapy. The objective of this review is to analyze studies that have attempted to identify the types of bacteria involved, antibiotic sensitivity and resistance profiles, factors associated with pleural infections. Studies showed that bacteria isolated from pleural effusion have shown increasing antibiotic resistance, which should influence the choice of empirical antimicrobial therapy.
This also highlights the importance of closely monitoring the dissemination and emergence of drug-resistant bacterial agents.

Keywords:

Pleural infection, microbiological profile, antibiotic resistance

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