The following symptoms and complaints may indicate primary peritonitis (inflammation of the peritoneum):
Leading symptoms
- Fever
- Ascites (abdominal dropsy) – usually occurs before infection.
- Abdominal pain, occurring acutely
Associated symptoms
- Fatigue
- Severe feeling of illness
- Encephalopathy – disease or damage to the brain.
The following symptoms and complaints may indicate secondary peritonitis:
- Acute onset of abdominal pain
- Defensive tension of the abdominal wall
- Fever
- Tachycardia – too fast heart rate (> 100 heartbeats per minute).
- Hypotension – too low blood pressure
- Shock/collapse
- Nausea (nausea)/vomiting
- Meteorism (flatulence; excessive accumulation of gas in the gastrointestinal tract).
