Role of ascitic fluid study in early detection of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in asymptomatic patients of cirrhosis of liver

Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP)is an acute bacterial infection of ascitic fluid and one of the commonest complication of patients with cirrhosis presented with ascitis. Routine analysis of ascetic fluid particularly for polymorphonuclear leukocyte is an important tool for detecting spontaneous bacterial peritonitis including clinically unsuspected and asymptomatic patients also. Thus it helps in reducing mortality and morbidity by early and effective detection of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. Objective: This study was carried out to evaluate the role of ascitic fluid analysis in early detection of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and to document the proportion of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis present asymptomatically