Bacteremia in patients suffering from cirrhosis

In a five-year retrospective study, there were 57 episodes of bacteremia among 1623 admissions (3.5%) of patients suffering from cirrhosis. Gram-positive bacteria were found in 70% of the episodes, gram-negative bacteria in 30%. All of the gram-positive bacteria found were fully sensitive to methicillin and to gentamicin. The gram-negative bacteria found were all sensitive to gentamicin, but only 50% were sensitive to ampicillin. The distribution between gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria was the same, irrespective of whether the patients acquired the infection inside or outside the hospital. More than 50% of the patients suffered from one or more of the following complications of cirrhosis: ascites, encephalopathy and haematemesis. Twenty-one patients died within seven days after the bacteremia was diagnosed. Bacteremia is a serious complication of advanced cirrhosis, and it is recommended that adequate antibiotic treatment is started when septicemia is suspected.