Development of an Experimental Model of Induced Bacterial Peritonitis in Cirrhotic Rats With or Without Ascites.

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is a severe complication of cirrhotic patients associated with a high mortality. AIM: To develop an available experimental model of induced bacterial peritonitis in cirrhosis. MATERIAL Sprague-Dawley rats with carbon-tetrachloride-induced cirrhosis with (N = 22) or without (N = 101) AND METHODS: ascites were randomized to receive an intraperitoneal administration of different concentrations of Escherichia coli ( E. coli) diluted in 1 mL of sterile water in ascitic rats and in different volumes in nonascitic rats. A subgroup of nonascitic animals received ceftriaxone 4 h after E. coli inoculation. Mortality of rats was evaluated 24 h after bacterial inoculation. RESULTS: None of the rats receiving sterile water alone and only one infected with 107 cfu of E. coli died. Ascitic rats showed a lower mortality rate than nonascitic rats infected with 108 or 109 cfu of E. coli ( P < 0.05). Mortality was higher with 109 cfu than with 108 cfu of E. coli in ascitic ( P NS) and nonascitic ( P < 0.01) rats. A trend was noted to ward higher mortality in nonascitic rats inoculated with 108 cfu with increasing water volumes. A marked peritoneal polymorphonuclear cell response was observed 4 h after E. coli injection in both ascitic and nonascitic rats. Antibiotic therapy significantly reduced the mortality rate of rats infected with 108 cfu ( P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: This experimental model of induced bacterial peritonitis in cirrhosis with or without ascites may represent a useful tool for the study of pathogenic events postinfection and for the design of new therapeutic strategies to treat patients with SBP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]