Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis associated with cardiac ascites.

A patient who developed fatal spontaneous bacterial peritonitis associated with cardiac ascites is reported. Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis most frequently occurs in patients with decompensated cirrhosis of alcoholic or nonalcoholic type. Although there are reports of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis occurring in patients with nephrotic syndrome, or with acute or chronic hepatitis, there appear to be no reports of spontaneous bacterial infection developing in cardiac ascites.