[Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in cirrhosis of the liver caused by alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency (author's transl)].

A three year old child with cirrhosis of the liver and ascites caused by alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency, developed severe abdominal pain with diarrhea and fever. Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis was diagnosed by demonstrating a purulent ascitic fluid with gram-positive cocci in the smear which were identified as pneumococci in the bacterial culture. The peritonitis subsided under antibiotic treatment without complications. Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in children with cirrhosis of the liver is mentioned in the literature, but up to now, however, only three cases were reported in detail. In order to establish the diagnosis, abdominal tap should be tried rather than explorative laparotomy, the demonstration of gram-positive cocci is diagnostic of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. With early antibiotic therapy, prognosis of the disease is favourable. Newborns and children with nephrotic syndrome, however, are particularly at risk.