Diagnosis, management and prevention of infections in cirrhotic patients

Infections in patients affected with liver cirrhosis are frequent, recurrent and associated to unfavorable outcome. They are facilitated by acquired and progressive defects on the innate immune and reticuloendothelial system that are aggravated by alcohol consumption. Infections in patients with cirrhosis are typically bacterial or viral in origin and have in most cases a stereotyped clinical presentation, although diagnosis may be difficult in some cases. Pneumonia, urinary tract infection, bacteremia and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis explain more than 90% of the cases. The latter requires a high clinical suspicion and a standardized diagnostic work up. Preventive strategies are important in the management of these patients and include chemoprophylaxis against spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in selected cases, vaccines against pneumococcal and influenza infections, and hepatitis A and B vaccine in susceptible patients. Due to limited seroconversion, active immunization should be applied as earlier as possible, before clinical deterioration ensues.