Early diagnosis and empiric therapy for cirrhosis associated with infection

Infection is a frequent complication of cirrhosis,which often occurs in the lungs,chest,abdomen,biliary tract,urinary tract,soft tissue,and skin,and occasionally causes spontaneous bacteremia in patients. This paper reviews the risk factors and common types of infection in cirrhosis associated with infection,and the early diagnosis and symptomatic treatment of different types of infection. Moreover,this paper points out that cirrhosis associated with infection is a key factor for disease progression and the early diagnosis and treatment are essential for successful treatment. The third- generation cephalosporins are the first- line antibiotic agents. Drug- resistant bacteria should be treated with antibiotic compound containing β- lactamase inhibitors or carbapenems. Methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus should be treated with glycopeptide antibiotics or combination therapies. Pulmonary mycoses are mainly treated with caspofungin or voriconazole. Antibiotics combined with supportive therapies including the administration of albumin can improve the treatment outcome and prognosis.