Abstract

BISPO, Miguel; VALENTE, Ana; GLORIA, Helena  and  ALEXANDRINO, Paula. A Rare Case of Spontaneous Fungal Peritonitis in an Outpatient with Liver Cirrhosis. J Port Gastrenterol. [online]. 2011, vol.18, n.3, pp.131-134. ISSN 0872-8178.

Fungal peritonitis, in the absence of an apparent source of infection, is a rare condition, with a few cases innonhospitalized cirrhotic patients reported in the literature. The often delayed diagnosis contributes for its high mortality rate. The authors present the case of a 64 year-old female, admitted with severely decompensated alcoholic cirrhosis (Child-Pugh C) and peritonitis. Clinical evolution was unfavorable, with refractory septic shock and death by the fourth day after admission. Candida albicans was isolated from ascites, without an identifiable source of infection on autopsy. Current perspectives and some particular features on the management of fungal peritonitis are reviewed, a condition which is underdiagnosed in clinical practice.

Keywords : Candida albicans; decompensated cirrosis; fungal peritonitis; spontaneous fungal peritonitis.

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