Figure 4.

Cecal bacterial populations. Comparison of cecal bacterial content in cirrhotic groups (●) and control groups (○). Bacterial overgrowth was defined as a colony-forming units (CFU) count greater than the mean ± 2SD of the control group (dashed line). CCl₄-induced cirrhosis plus portal vein occlusion resulted in cecal bacterial overgrowth in placebo and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1-treated cirrhotic rats (^aP < 0.05 vs all others). Rifaximin treatment reduced bacterial content in cirrhotic rats to a level similar to that observed in the rifaximin-treated control group; bacterial counts in these latter groups were the lowest among all groups (^cP < 0.05). Cirr: Cirrhosis; Cont: Control; R: Rifaximin.