Incidence of spontaneous fungal peritonitis in patients with liver cirrhosis in a Mexico City population

The presence of infection of fungal origin in ascites in patients presenting with cirrhosis increases short- and medium-term mortality; therefore, it is recommended that fungal culture tests are performed in those patients who visit the emergency room or experience continuous admission with acute decompensation and no bacteria identified in ascites cultures, and even more so in patients with chronic kidney disease and a history of antibiotic use as prophylaxis for SBP. Further studies are needed for the identification of clinical and biochemical data that can help to define SFP so that its presence may be assessed without the need to wait for a positive fungal culture. Thus, treatment may be initiated early in the hope of having a positive impact on the prognosis in this group of patients.