Peritonitis in chronic peritoneal dialysis patients.

The incidence, etiology and management of peritoneal infection were evaluated in a chronic peritoneal dialysis population at a private community referral hospital. An initial incidence of peritonitis of 10.8% in early 1976 was reduced to a rate of 0.19% in the latter half of 1978. Factors associated with this decline were: establishment of a separate peritoneal dialysis unit; strict adherence to aseptic technique; and the replacement of manual procedures with automated equipment. Preliminary results suggested also that antibiotic therapy of asymptomatic patients with culture-positive dialysis return may be an additional effective method for the prevention and control of peritonitis in this patient population.