Cholangitis causes

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Amandeep Singh M.D.[2] Farwa Haideri [3]

Cholangitis is usually caused by a bacterial infection, which can occur when there is blockage in the bile duct, such as a gallstone or tumor. The infection causing this condition may also spread to the liver.

Acute suppurative cholangitis is a life-threatening cause of cholangitis.

Cholangitis is usually caused by bile stasis. It is the ascending infection of the bile duct by bacteria, and/or parasites.

Cholangitis may be caused by:

• Bile stasis
  • Choledocholithiasis/dislodged gallstones (cholelithiasis)
  • Biliary strictures
• Bacterial infection
  • Escherichia coli
  • Klebsiella
  • Enterococcus
  • Enterobacter
  • Bacteroides
  • Clostridia
• Malignancy
  • Cancer of the pancreatic head
  • Cholangiocarcinoma
• Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
• Biliary tract surgery with common bile duct implantment^[1]e.g. resection of the carcinoma of ampulla of Vater

Less common causes of cholangitis include:

• Parasitic infections:
  • Ascaris lumbricoides
  • Clonorchis sinensis
  • Opisthorchis viverrini
  • Ogatpisthorchis felineus
  • Taenia saginata
• Malignancy
  • Hepatoma^[2]
  • Lymphoma
  • Metastasis to bile duct

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