SPONTANEOUS BACTERIAL PERITONITIS

Course overview

SPONTANEOUS BACTERIAL PERITONITIS (SBP) IS AN ACUTE INFECTION OF THE ABNORMAL ACCUMULATION OF FLUID IN THE ABDOMEN (ASCITES), WITHOUT AN IDENTIFIABLE SOURCE OF INFECTION. IT CAN OCCUR IN ADULTS AND CHILDREN AND THE MAJORITY OF ISOLATED ORGANISMS BEING GRAM-NEGATIVE ENTERIC ORGANISMS (E.G., ESCHERICHIA COLI OR KLEBSIELLA PNEUMONIAE) POINTING TO THE GASTROINTESTINAL (GI) TRACT AS THE MAIN SOURCE OF INFECTION. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENT OF SPONTANEOUS BACTERIAL PERITONITIS AND EXPLAINS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN MANAGING PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.