Background and Aim: Ascitic fluid infection is pre-existing ascites infection of both symptomatic and asymptomatic types without abdominal source in chronic liver disease patients. Culture negative ascites are common infections in patients with chronic liver disease. The aim of the recent study was to determine the prevalence of culture-negative ascitic fluid infection among chronic liver disease patients.

Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 134 patients with ascitic fluid infection due to chronic liver disease in the Department of Medicine and Gastroenterology, Pak International Medical College, Peshawar for six months duration from December 2020 to May 2021. All the ascitic infectious patients due to chronic liver disease regardless of their age and gender showing ascitic fluid infection symptoms such as tenderness, fever, and abdominal pain were admitted and underwent laboratory culture examination. Based on bacterial growth, all the chronic liver disease patients were grouped into two; Group-I of no bacterial growth and Group-II of positive bacterial growth. All the patients having an intra-abdominal infection or taking antibiotics were excluded.

Results: Of the total 134 patients, 84 (62.7%) were male and 50 (37.3%) were females. Overall mean age was 47.56±19.8 years with an age range of 20 years to 80 years. Of the total 134 cases, the prevalence of positive and negative culture ascites were 30 (22.4%) and 104 (77.6%) respectively. out of 104 culture-negative patients, 65 (62.5%) were male patients whereas 39 (37.5%) were females. Chronic liver disease means duration was 8.9±2.6 months with a range of 6 months to 18 months. For all the patients above 40 years, the prevalence of culture-positive and negative ascitic infection was 20 (66.7%) and 77 (74.1%) respectively. The prevalence of male patients was higher (62.5%) among culture-negative patients due to chronic liver disease.

Conclusion: Our study found that the prevalence of culture-negative ascitic fluid was higher at 77.6% among male patients. Also, ascitic fluid infection due to chronic liver disease was higher in patients of age above 40 years.

Keywords: Ascitic fluid, Culture-negative ascitic fluid infections, Chronic liver disease