background: ascitic fluid infection is presumptively diagnosed when the fluid polymorph nuclear (pmn) concentration equals or exceeds 250 cells /mic,l. the leukocyte esterase (le) test has been shown to be a good predictor of the presence of pmns in urine and other body fluids. this study examines of value of multistix 8sg dipstick test for rapid diagnosis of infected ascitic fluid. materials a...