El Shabrawi, A., Abdelaziz, M., Mousa, N. (2019). Infections in cirrhotic patients. Medical Journal of Viral Hepatitis, 4.1(1), 5-14. doi: 10.21608/mjvh.2019.59521
Ahmed El Shabrawi; Mohammed Abdelaziz; Nasser Mousa. "Infections in cirrhotic patients". Medical Journal of Viral Hepatitis, 4.1, 1, 2019, 5-14. doi: 10.21608/mjvh.2019.59521
El Shabrawi, A., Abdelaziz, M., Mousa, N. (2019). 'Infections in cirrhotic patients', Medical Journal of Viral Hepatitis, 4.1(1), pp. 5-14. doi: 10.21608/mjvh.2019.59521
El Shabrawi, A., Abdelaziz, M., Mousa, N. Infections in cirrhotic patients. Medical Journal of Viral Hepatitis, 2019; 4.1(1): 5-14. doi: 10.21608/mjvh.2019.59521
1tropical Medicine dept., Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura Univ., Egypt
2Tropical Medicine dept., Mansoura Univ., Egypt.
Abstract
Cirrhosis is considered to be the final stage of various liver injuries. Cirrhotic patients are more vulnerable to an increased incidence of infections than normal population. Various theories had been postulated to explain the higher frequency of infections among cirrhotic patients including alterations in the enteric flora, dysfunction of the intestinal barrier and impairment of the host defense mechanisms. In particular, bacterial infections could be a precipitating factor for deterioration of the liver condition and occurrence of number of life threatening complications such as acute on top of chronic liver failure (ACLF), acute kidney injury, hepatic encephalopathy, coagulation defect and variceal bleeding. Among the infections described in cirrhotic patients, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, pneumonia, urinary tract infection, soft tissue infection, and bacteraemia were found to be the most repeatedly encountered. Assuming that, infections in cirrhotic patients are considered as alarming signs, prompt and definitive management strategies should be undertaken. This manuscript focuses on bacterial infections in cirrhotic patients as regard pathophysiology, types, consequences and management.