Published online May 8, 2015. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v7.i7.916
Peer-review started: January 15, 2015
First decision: January 20, 2015
Revised: February 13, 2015
Accepted: March 5, 2015
Article in press: March 9, 2015
Published online: May 8, 2015
Recently, important changes have been reported regarding the epidemiology of bacterial infections in liver cirrhosis. There is an emergence of multiresistant bacteria in many European countries and also worldwide, including the United States and South Korea. The classic empirical antibiotic treatment (third-generation cephalosporins, e.g., ceftriaxone, cefotaxime or amoxicillin-clavulanic acid) is still effective in infections acquired in the community, but its failure rate in hospital acquired infections and in some health-care associated infections is high enough to ban its use in these settings. The current editorial focuses on the different epidemiology of bacterial infections in cirrhosis across countries and on its therapeutic implications.
Core tip: There is a growing prevalence of multiresistant bacteria in nosocomial and in health-care associated settings worldwide. Nowadays, it is necessary that all liver units assess the presence of antibiotic resistance in their population. The classical empirical antibiotic therapy, third generation cephalosporins, can no longer be employed in areas with high prevalence of multiresistant bacterial infections. The current editorial focuses on the different patterns of resistance across countries and on its therapeutic implications.