Abstract
118 episodes of infectious peritonitis registered among 156 patients treated with intermittent peritoneal dialysis over a 5-yr period were analysed with special reference to potential routes of infection associated with the dialysis catheter. Peritonitis was randomly distributed among the patients, and the chance of keeping free of peritonitis declined exponentially with time. The main factor determining the individual number of episodes was the total space of time, in which a patient had been wearing a dialysis catheter, whereas the number of catheter disconnections played no significant role. A relative preponderance of cases due to Enterobac-teriaceae was noted within the first week after catheter implantation. In contrast with this, peritonitis with skin microorganisms was not associated with the implantation of catheters.