An attempt was made to reduce the risk of infection following liver transplantation by means of selective bowel decontamination with tobramycin, polymyxin E and amphotericin B, as well as short-term systemic antibiotics with cephotaxim and tobramycin. After 53 consecutive orthotopic hepatic transplants performed in 51 patients between 1985 and 1987, a total of eight pneumonias occurred as the clinically most significant infection. Two pneumonias were caused by cytomegalovirus, one by Pneumocystis carinii, one by Candida and the remaining four by various bacteria. In 6 patients, bacteria were cultured from the blood, but only in one case was an indwelling catheter identified as the source of the septicemia. Taking all samples together, Streptococcus faecalis was the bacterium most frequently cultured, which was not covered by the prophylactic antimicrobial regime applied. Pseudomonas, however, and gram-negative bacteria were demonstrated much less frequently. Vaginal and oral Candida infections, as well as oral and genital herpes simplex infections, responded well to topical therapy with fungicide and aciclovir, respectively. Three patients developed cytomegalovirus (CMV) hepatitis. All five CMV infections were successfully treated with ganciclovir and hyperimmunoglobulin, as well as reduction of prophylactic immunosuppression. Out of 15 patients transplanted for posthepatitic cirrhosis, 7 developed a recurrence of the infection (5 hepatitis B virus) 2 hepatitis C virus) in the graft. Two died of the cirrhosis, three are still alive with cirrhosis but sufficient graft function, and one patient is suffering from chronic active hepatitis. One patient grafted for acute hepatic failure was able to clear the delta virus within 1 year post-transplant.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)