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0-866 |
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Twenty-one cirrhotic patients (16 male, five female; mean age, 50.9 yr; range 28-67 yr) were identified and classified as Child B (6 cases) and Child C (15 cases). Bacteremic episodes occurred most often from March to September. Seafood ingestion (seven cases) and seawater exposure (two cases) were risk factors, but nosocomial infections were also noted in six cases. Presenting symptoms and signs included ascites (95.2%), fever (81%), abdominal pain (52.4%), diarrhea (33.3%), and cellulitis with bullae formation (19%). Concurrent spontaneous bacterial peritonitis was determined in 10 cases, seven with positive ascites cultures. Antibiotic therapy (either cephalothin with gentamicin or ceftriaxone alone) cured most of the bacteremic episodes. The overall case-fatality rate was 23.8%, but 75% of the deaths were observed in patients with skin manifestation. |
