ESCHERICHIA-COLI CAPSULAR POLYSACCHARIDE AND SPONTANEOUS BACTERIAL PERITONITIS IN CIRRHOSIS

Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SEP) is a frequent and severe compl ication of cirrhosis, Escherichia coli is the most frequent bacterium isolated in this condition. The presence of capsular antigens, mainly the K1 capsular polysaccharide, has been associated with invasiveness in E coli infections. Capsular serotypes of E coli causing SBP were de termined in 37 cirrhotic patients. Twenty-seven strains were encapsula ted (72.9%), 9 of them (24.3%) with K1 capsular polysaccharide, and 10 were nonencapsulated. Patients with encapsulated E coli showed a sign ificantly higher incidence (92.5% vs. 50%; P < .01) and number of comp lications per patient (1.9 +/- 1.1 vs, 0.8 +/- 1.0; P < .01) than pati ents with nonencapsulated strains. Although mortality was higher in pa tients with encapsulated strains (44.4% vs. 20%), the difference did n ot reach statistical significance. Considering patients infected by en capsulated strains, the incidence of complications and mortality were similar in patients with or without K1 strains. These data suggest tha t the presence of encapsulated strains could have a prognostic signifi cance in SEP caused by E coli in cirrhotic patients.