Polymicrobial bacterascites. A unique entity in the spectrum of infected ascitic fluid.

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.