title: Polymicrobial bacterascites. A unique entity in the spectrum of infected ascitic fluid.
abstract: A retrospective analysis of 1578 abdominal paracenteses revealed ten cases of polymicrobial bacterascites, ie, growth of multiple organisms in ascitic fluid with a neutrophil count less than 250 cells/cu mm. Six of the ten paracenteses that documented this condition were traumatic (bloody or producing feculent material). Clinical peritonitis developed in only one patient. No one died as a result of the infection. Polymicrobial bacterascites is rare (0.6% of paracenteses). It is frequently due to a traumatic paracentesis (bowel entry by the paracentesis needle), and is associated with low morbidity.
mesh_terms: D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000382:microbiology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007422:Intestines / Q000293:injuries; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D009504:Neutrophils; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000209:etiology; D011677:Punctures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012189:Retrospective Studies