Abstract: OBJECTIVE To assess the effect of selective bowel decontamination(SBD) on infections in liver transplant recipients. METHODS PubMed, EMbase, Central Register of Controlled Trials, CBM, CNKI, Weipu and Wanfang Database from the date of establishment until December 2012 were searched, and hand searched relevant journals. Randomized controlled trials(RCTs) that evaluated the effects of SBD on infections in liver transplant recipients were collected. Data were extracted independently by two reviewers. Statistical analysis was performed with RevMan 5.1. RESULTS Six RCTs involving 325 patients were included. The results of Meta-analyses showed the following: ①SBD group were more effective than the control group(placebo, nystatin and no interventions) in decreasing incidence of gram-negative bacterial infectionRR=0.25, 95%CI(0.13, 0.45), P<0.000 01. While there was no significant difference between the two groups in incidence of all bacterial infections; ②SBD group statistically significantly decreased incidence of pneumoniaRR=0.33, 95%CI(0.13, 0.83), P=0.02 than the control group. While there was no significant difference between the two groups in incidence of bacterial infection for other sites(surgical wound, abdomen, urinary tract and bloodstream); ③SBD group statistically significantly decreased incidence of fungal infectionRR=0.47, 95%CI(0.25, 0.89)，P=0.02 than the control group；④There was no significant difference between the two groups in incidence of all mortality. CONCLUSION SBD has significant benefits in the reduction of gram-negative bacterial infection, pneumonia and fungal infection. Dosage regimen: receiving the SBD regimen from ≥3 d before transplantation to ≥5 d after transplantation, po, qid.