TABLE 1.

Quantitative determination of 16S rRNA gene copies in ascitic fluid samples, grouped according to corresponding culture results and total leukocyte values (n = 104)

Sample groupa	Mean (range) qPCR result (log copies ml−1)
bactDNA+/culture+/leukocyte+ (n = 3)	5.05 (4.09–6.23)
bactDNA+/culture+/leukocyte− (n = 1)	9.25
bactDNA+/culture−/leukocyte+ (n = 14)	3.82 (2.72–6.17)
bactDNA+/culture−/leukocyte− (n = 86)	3.05 (2.72–8.94)

^aComparison of mean real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) results between sample groups and statistical analysis (Mann-Whitney U test): culture+ (n = 4), 6.1 log copies ml⁻¹, versus culture− (n = 100), 3.15 log copies ml⁻¹ (P = 0.001); leukocyte+ (n = 17), 4.04 log copies ml⁻¹, versus leukocyte− (n = 87), 3.12 log copies ml⁻¹ (P = 0.004). Leukocyte+, >500 cells mm⁻³; leukocyte−, ≤500 cells mm⁻³.