[Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis: impact of microbiological changes].
BACKGROUND
Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis is a serious complication in cirrhotic patients, and the changes in the microbiological characteristics reported in the last years are impacting the choice of antibiotic used in the treatment.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the change in the epidemiology and antibiotic resistance of the bacteria causing spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in a 7 years period.


METHODS
All the cases of cirrhotic patients with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis with positive cultural examination were retrospectively studied. Two periods were evaluated: 1997-1998 and 2002-2003. The most frequent infecting organisms and the sensitivity in vitro to antibiotics were registered.


RESULTS
In the first period (1997-1998) there were 33 cases, 3 (9%) with polymicrobial infection. The most common were: E.coli in 13 (36,11%), Staphylococcus coagulase-negative in 6 (16,66%), K. pneumoniae in 5 (13,88%), S. aureus in 4 (11,11%) and S. faecalis in 3 (8,33%). In 2003-2004, there were 43 cases, 2 (5%) with polymicrobial infection. The most frequent were: Staphylococus coagulase-negative in 16 (35,55%), S. aureus in 8 (17,77%), E. coli in 7 (15,55%) and K. pneumoniae in 3 (6,66%). No one was using antibiotic prophilaxys. The prevalence of S. aureus methicillin-resitant to quinolone and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole changed from 25% to 50%, and vancomicin was the only one with absolute activity during all the period. In the same way, the prevalence of E. coli resistant to third generation cephalosporin and to quinolone changed from 0% to 16%.


CONCLUSIONS
There was a modification of the bacterial population causing spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, with high frequency of gram-positive organisms, as well as an increase in the resistance to the traditionally recommended antibiotics. This study suggests a probable imminent inclusion of a drug against gram-positive organisms in the empiric treatment of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis.
Almeida
Paulo Roberto Lerias de
PR
Serviço de Medicina Interna, Hospital Nossa Senhora da Conceição, Porto Alegre, RS. pauloalmeida@cpovo.net
Camargo
Nutianne Schneider
NS
Arenz
Maximilhano
M
Tovo
Cristiane Valle
CV
Galperim
Bruno
B
Behar
Paulo
P
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents