Antibiotics for spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in cirrhotic patients.

Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis is a complication of cirrhotic ascites that occurs in the absence of any intra-abdominal, surgically treatable source of infection. Antibiotic therapy is indicated and should be initiated as soon as possible to avoid severe complications that may lead to death. It has been proposed that empirical treatment should cover gram-negative enteric bacteria and gram-positive cocci, responsible for up to 90% of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis cases.