Antibiotic Prophylaxis in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients.

Peritonitis is an important cause of morbidity, mortality, and technique failure in patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD). The most effective approach to peritonitis is prevention, which includes careful patient training and follow-up. Although peritonitis as a result of contiguous spread of bacteria or fungi during invasive procedures, or as a result of seeding of the peritoneum during bacteremia, is uncommon, the likelihood of such spread is often predictable, and the risk can be mitigated with antibiotic prophylaxis. Here, we describe the rationale for, and approach to, antibiotic prophylaxis in PD patients for the prevention of infective episodes.