Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is the development of peritonitis (infection in the abdominal cavity) despite the absence of an obvious source for the infection. It occurs almost exclusively in people with portal hypertension (increased pressure over the portal vein), usually as a result of cirrhosis of the liver. It can also occur in patients with nephrotic syndrome.
The diagnosis of SBP requires paracentesis (aspiration of fluid with a needle) from the abdominal cavity. If the fluid contains bacteria or large numbers of neutrophil granulocytes (>250 cells/µL) (a type of white blood cells), infection is confirmed and antibiotics are required to avoid complications. In addition to antibiotics, infusions of albumin are usually administered.
Read more about Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis: Symptoms, Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, Prevention/screening, Epidemiology, History
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