It is widely known that vitamin D has an important role in calcium metabolism and bone mineralization. Its deficiency is related to rickets and osteomalacia in children and adults respectively. Vitamin D had a role in innate and acquired immunity. It increases innate defense and modulates lymphocytes activation, leading to a change toward a T2 helper response ).

The role of vitamin D deficiency on the risk of bacterial infection among patients in intensive care units has been reported. An observational studies in children reported an association between low 25-OH vitamin D level and infectious viral diseases .

The deranged metabolism of vitamin D in liver cirrhosis was first reported in the late '70s and was attributed mainly to impaired 25(OH)-vitamin D hydroxylation of the precursor vitamin D caused by impaired liver function. Low level of vitamin D was found independently to be associated with increased risk of bacterial infections in patients with liver cirrhosis.

The observed relationship between the lack of vitamin D and the increase risk of mortality in cirrhotic patients could be attributed to bacterial infections. Thus, the association of low vitamin D levels with liver insufficiency and infections supports the use of vitamin D as a prognostic marker in the population of cirrhosis.

Studies on the role of vitamin D as a risk factor for infections in patients with liver cirrhosis are not well studied in our locality(Upper Egypt).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Admitted patients with liver cirrhosis irrespective of the underlying etiology during 6 months in Al Rajhi Liver Hospital, Assiut, Egypt who accept to participate in the study

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients with cholestatic liver disease, patients receiving antibiotics to treat their infection prior hospital admission and patients refusing to participate in the study.

We will include admitted patients with liver cirrhosis irrespective of the underlying etiology during 6 months in Al Rajhi Tertiary Liver Hospital, Assiut, Egypt. They will be divided into 2 Groups. Group I: Cirrhotic patients with evidence of infections at any site and Group II: Cirrhotic patients without evidence of infections.