['Knowledge of microbiology in the prognosis of patients with necrotizing pancreatitis is incomplete.', 'This study compared outcomes based on primary and secondary infection after surgery for pancreatic necrosis.', 'From a limited prospective database of pancreatic necrosectomy, a retrospective case note review was performed (October 1996 to April 2003).', '55 of 73 patients had infected pancreatic necrosis at the first necrosectomy. 25 of 47 patients had resistant bacteria to prophylactic antibiotics (n = 21) or did not receive prophylactic antibiotics (n = 4), but this was not associated with a higher mortality (9 of 25) compared to those with sensitive organisms (4 of 22). Patients with fungal infection (n = 6) had a higher initial median (95% CI) APACHE II score compared to those without (11 (9-13) verus 8.5 (7-10), p = 0.027). Five of six patients with fungal infection died compared to 13 of 47 who did not (p = 0.014). With the inclusion of secondary infections 21 (32%) of 66 patients had fungal infection with 10 (48%) deaths compared to 11 (24%) of 45 patients without fungal infection (p = 0.047).'] Is fungal infection but not type of bacterial infection associated with a high mortality in primary and secondary infected pancreatic necrosis?