Epidemiology of ascites fluid infections in patients with cirrhosis in Queensland, Australia from 2008 to 2017

Abstract. Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP), a common infection in patients with cirrhosis and ascites, is associated with high morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to investigate changes in the epidemiology of ascites fluid infections over time in an Australian population, including patient demographics, trends in mortality, length of hospital stay and the nature and antibiotic resistance profile of causative organisms. An observational descriptive population-based epidemiological study of patients with cirrhosis admitted to public hospitals in Queensland during 2008–2017 was performed, linking demographic/clinical and microbiology data. Among 103,165 hospital admissions of patients with cirrhosis, ascites was present in 16,550 and in 60% (9977) a sample of ascitic fluid was tested. SBP was diagnosed in 770 admissions (neutrophil count >250/ml) and bacterascites in 552 (neutrophil count