Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is an important renal replacement therapy for end-stage renal disease. With the advantages of convenience of home operation and hemodynamic stability, it significantly improves the quality of life of the patients. However, PD-associated peritonitis (PDAP) is a common and serious complication and the main cause of treatment failure, which increases the possibilities of switching to hemodialysis and mortality and severely limits clinical application of PD. This article systematically reviews the risk factors for PDAP from multiple points of view including host related factors (such as older age, diabetes, hypoalbuminemia, smoking, low educational level, intestinal microecological imbalance, etc.), treatment and technical related factors (such as dialysis mode, scale of dialysis center, endoscopic operation, etc.), and environment related factors (such as seasonal changes, pet keeping, etc.). We also introduce the potential pathogenic mechanisms and the key points in management of PDAP, aiming to reduce the incidence of PDAP and improve the long-term prognosis and quality of life of PD patients.