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Background and objective: To research the prevalence of hepatic abscesses at our facility. To examine the Age and Sex distribution. to examine the clinical characteristics based on variations in symptoms and symptomatology. To determine the disease's microbiology. To shed light on the role that radiological imaging plays in making a diagnosis and organising treatment appropriately. to classify the disease's mode of therapy. Method: On 100 patients who were enrolled in the trial throughout the time, a study was conducted at Department of General Surgery, Deccan College of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, Telangana, India from to December 2022 to October 2023. Ultrasonography was used to confirm the clinical diagnosis of hepatic abscess in these patients. Result: Men are more common than women. 6:1 ratio; 5 th decade is peak incidence. Eighty four percent of cases had alcohol as the cause. The most prevalent clinical features are abdominal pain (96%) and soreness (72%), with the typical mode of presentation being observed in 81% of patients. Sixty five percent of cases had a right lobe abscess. Aspiration is the most often used therapeutic method (45%). Conclusion: According to an ultrasound, the abscess in the current study had completely disappeared after three to four months; in our series, individuals with lower socioeconomic status account for roughly 70% of all abscesses examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shotgun metagenomics (SMg) sequencing has gained a considerable interest, as it enables the detection of any microorganisms through a single analysis. Due to the limitations of standard microbiological approaches, the microbial documentation of liver abscesses (LA), which is crucial for their medical management, can be difficult. Here we aimed to compare the performance of SMg with standard approaches for the microbiological documentation of LA. In this retrospective study conducted at two centers, we compared the results of standard microbiology with metagenomics analysis of consecutive LA samples. For samples tested positive for Klebsiella pneumoniae , we compared the analysis of virulence and resistance genes using metagenomics data to whole-genome sequencing of corresponding isolates obtained in culture. Out of the 62 samples included, standard approaches and SMg yielded documentation in 80.6% and 96.8%, respectively. In 37.1% (23/62) of cases, both methods showed identical results, whereas in 43.5% (27/62) of cases, the samples were positive by both methods, but SMg found additional species in 88.9% (24/27), mostly anaerobes. When the standard approaches were negative, the SMg was able to detect microorganisms in 80.0% of cases (8/10). Overall, SMg identified significantly more microorganisms than culture (414 vs.105; p < 0.05). K. pneumoniae genome analysis was able to detect resistance and virulence genes with a level of sensitivity depending on the depth of sequencing. Overall, we showed that SMg had better performance in detecting and identifying microorganisms from LA samples and could help characterizing strain's resistome and virulome. Although still costly and requiring specific skills and expensive equipment, MGs methods are set to expand in the future. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liver abscesses caused by Clostridium perfringens are rare but rapidly fatal. In only a few days, patients progress from liver abscess to sepsis, intravascular hemolysis, multiple organ failure, and even death. These abscesses often occur in patients after trauma or surgery or in those with immunodeficiency. Because patients only show non-specific symptoms such as fever and abdominal pain in the early stage, they can easily be misdiagnosed and miss the therapeutic window, resulting in a poor prognosis. The diagnosis of Clostridium perfringens liver abscess mainly depends on computed tomography (CT), needle aspiration, and/or blood culture. After diagnosis, treatments such as antibiotic therapy, surgical abscess drainage, blood transfusion as needed, and correction of metabolic disturbances must be immediately administered to prevent severe complications. Here, we present two cases of liver abscess due to Clostridium perfringens infection. Both patients initially presented only with fever, abdominal pain, and jaundice, symptoms that were easily confused with cholangitis caused by cholelithiasis. The patients then progressed rapidly and, despite receiving antimicrobial and multimodal sepsis treatment, both eventually died of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. Clinicians should be on high alert for Clostridium perfringens liver abscesses disguised as biliary disease. Early diagnosis and treatment with the appropriate antibiotics and surgery are fundamental for the survival of the affected patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: A pyogenic liver abscess (PLA) is an infectious disease with high in‐hospital mortality. It has no specific symptoms and is difficult to be diagnosed early in the emergency department. Ultrasound is commonly used to detect PLA lesions of PLA, but its sensitivity can be affected by lesion size, location, and clinician experience. Therefore, early diagnosis and prompt treatment (especially abscess drainage) are crucial for better patient outcomes and should be prioritized by clinical physicians. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study to compare the effect of early and late (i.e., receiving CT scanning within 48 h and >48 h after admission) adoption of nonenhanced computed tomography (CT) scanning regarding the hospitalization days and interval between admission and drainage of patients with PLA. Results: This study included 76 hospitalized patients with PLA in the Department of Digestive Disease of Xiamen Chang Gung Hospital in China who underwent CT examinations from 2014 to 2021. We conducted CT scans on 56 patients within 48 h of admission and on 20 patients more than 48 h after admission. The early CT group had a significantly shorter hospitalization length compared with the late CT group (15.0 days vs. 20.5 days; P = 0.035). Besides, the median time to initiate drainage after admission was also significantly shorter in the early CT group than in the late CT group (1.0 days vs. 4.5 days; P < 0.001). Conclusion: Early CT scanning within 48 h of admission may aid in early PLA diagnosis and benefit disease recovery, as revealed by our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of nonspecific pyogenic spondylodiskitis, associated with both a high morbidity and a high mortality, has increased in the last few decades. The diagnosis is often delayed because of the nonspecific clinical manifestation at the early stage. The reliability of radiographs is limited, particularly in early stage after the onset of infection. Computed tomography (CT) can reliably assess the bony condition with the possibility of spatial visualization. Contrast enhancement supports the detection of affected soft tissue. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) continues to be the gold standard in the diagnosis of spondylodiskitis. Sophisticated investigation protocols supported by gadolinium enhancement secure the diagnosis. MRI has a high resolution without radiation exposure. Different nuclear investigation techniques extend the diagnostic options. Reports of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (18-FDG-PET) are particularly promising to confirm the diagnosis. The drawback of the reduced image quality with respect to detailed anatomical information can be overcome by a combined simultaneous acquisition of CT or MRI. With respect to one of the greatest challenges, the differentiation between degenerative changes (Modic type 1) and infection at an early stage using differentiated MRI protocols and FDG-PET is promising. This overview presents a concise state-of-the-art look at radiologic investigations in case of suspected nonspecific pyogenic spondylodiskitis with the focus on a pragmatic approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: Although invasive fungal infections are a major cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality, data on the incidence and outcomes of localized abscesses in solid organs due to fungal infections are scarce. The aim of this study was to consolidate evidence and enhance our understanding on neonatal liver abscesses due to invasive fungal infections. (2) Methods: An electronic search of the PubMed and Scopus databases was conducted, considering studies that evaluated fungal liver abscesses in the neonatal population. Data on the epidemiology, clinical course, treatment, and outcome of these infections were integrated in our study. (3) Results: Overall, 10 studies were included presenting data on 19 cases of neonatal fungal liver abscesses. Candida spp. were the most common causative pathogens (94.7%). Premature neonates constituted the majority of cases (93%), while umbilical venous catheter placement, broad spectrum antibiotics, and prolonged parenteral nutrition administration were identified as other common predisposing factors. Diagnosis was established primarily by abdominal ultrasonography. Medical therapy with antifungal agents was the mainstay of treatment, with Amphotericin B being the most common agent (47%). Abscess drainage was required in four cases (21%). Eradication of the infection was achieved in the majority of cases (80%). (4) Conclusions: Even though fungal liver abscess is a rare entity in the neonatal population, clinicians should keep it in mind in small, premature infants who fail to respond to conventional treatment for sepsis, particularly if an indwelling catheter is in situ. A high index of suspicion is necessary in order to achieve a timely diagnosis and the initiation of the appropriate treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article, published in the journal Endoscopy, presents a meta-analysis and systematic review of the accuracy and efficacy of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) in diagnosing focal liver lesions (FLL), obtaining liver sampling, and draining liver abscesses. The review includes 45 articles, with 28 evaluating the diagnostic role of EUS and 17 evaluating its therapeutic role. The analysis shows that EUS has a high accuracy rate for diagnosing FLL and parenchymal liver diseases, and EUS-guided interventions for liver abscesses and gastric varices have high success rates with low complications. The authors conclude that EUS has the potential to be a first-line therapeutic and diagnostic option in selected cases of liver diseases. [Extracted from the article]

A geriatric female giant panda developed grave signs of illness and was diagnosed with suspected hepatobiliary tract obstruction or other severe hepatic disease such as advanced cholangiohepatitis. The giant panda was euthanized and post mortem computed tomography was performed prior to necropsy. Common bile duct obstruction at the major duodenal papilla by a mineral attenuating calculus causing dilatation of common bile and gallbladder with concurrent multiple areas of liver abscess were detected by postmortem computed tomography. These were confirmed with gross necropsy. This is the first case report of common bile duct obstruction by mineral calculus with concurrent severe cholangiohepatitis in a giant panda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple hepatic cysts are typically saccular, thin-walled masses with fluid-filled epithelial lined cavities. They arise from aberrant bile duct cells that develop during embryonic development. With the development of diagnostic modalities such as ultrasonography (US), CT, and MRI, simple hepatic cysts are frequently detected in clinical examinations. US is the most useful and noninvasive tool for diagnosis of simple hepatic cysts and can usually differentiate simple hepatic cysts from abscesses, hemangiomas, and malignancies. Cysts with irregular walls, septations, calcifications, or daughter cysts on US should be evaluated with enhanced CT or MRI, to differentiate simple hepatic cysts from cystic neoplasms or hydatid cysts. Growth and compression of hepatic cysts cause abdominal discomfort, pain, distension, and dietary symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, a feeling of fullness, and early satiety. Complications of simple hepatic cysts include infection, spontaneous hemorrhage, rupture, and external compression of biliary tree or major vessels. Asymptomatic simple hepatic cysts do not require treatment. Treatment for symptomatic simple hepatic cysts includes percutaneous aspiration, aspiration followed by sclerotherapy, and surgery. The American College of Gastroenterology clinical guidelines recommend laparoscopic fenestration because of its high success rate and low invasiveness. Percutaneous procedures for treatment of simple hepatic cysts are particularly effective for immediate palliation of patient symptoms; however, they are not generally recommended because of the high rate of recurrence. Management of simple hepatic cysts requires correct differentiation from neoplasms and infections, and selection of a reliable treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Unusual clinical course Background: Amebiasis is a parasitic infection caused by the protozoan Entamoeba histolytica. Amebic brain abscesses are a rare form of invasive amebiasis frequently lethal due to the difficulty of its diagnosis and inadequate treatment. Cerebral amebiasis poses a therapeutic challenge as evidenced by the scarcity of papers reporting complete recovering after treatment. Case Report: We report the case of a 39-year-old Spanish man, with a history of alcohol and drug abuse. He had never traveled outside of Europe, no reported oral-anal sexual contact, and no history of immunosuppressant medication. He was admitted to the Emergency department with temperature of 38°C, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. An abdominal CT scan showed multiples abscesses in the liver. Therefore, empirical meropenem treatment was started on suspicion of pyogenic liver abscesses due to lack of epidemiological risk factors for parasitic infection. In the liver aspirate samples, E. histolytica trophozoites were directly visualized and a real-time PCR was also positive for it. After amebiasis diagnosis, intravenous (IV) metronidazole therapy was initiated. During his admission, the patient developed pulmonary, cutaneous and cerebral involvement amebiasis. The management of amebic brain abscesses includes surgical drainage and antiparasitic treatment, in our case IV metronidazole was maintained for 10 weeks. No surgical treatment was performed and even so, the patient evolved favorably. Conclusions: Amebic brain abscesses have a high mortality rate if inadequate treatment. A timely diagnosis and suitable treat can reduce its mortality, so the diagnosis of amebic infection should not be precluded in non-endemic countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Extraintestinal amoebiasis is an uncommon complication of Entamoeba histolytica infection, occurring in about 5-10% of patient. Prompt diagnosis and management is essential to prevent complications. However, diagnosis and management in resource-limited settings is very challenging owing to limited diagnostic tools and nonspecific clinical symptoms. Therefore, our case report underscores the role of incisive clinical evaluation, basic investigation, and nonsurgical management of giant amoebic abscess in resource-limited settings. Case Presentation. A 13-year-old female Cameroonian presented with subacute onset of upper abdominal pain, high fever, and chest pain for one week. Before presentation, she had been on treatment at a local traditional practitioner during which her symptoms worsen. After clinical evaluation and basic investigation, she was diagnosed with a giant amoebic liver abscess. She was resuscitated and placed on nonsurgical management. Follow-up after 1 month was significant for complete recovery. Conclusion. Amoebic liver abscess is a rare complication of Entamoeba histolytica infection with devastating complications. The diagnosis of this disease requires high index of suspicion in resource-limited settings. Good clinical evaluation and timely nonsurgical therapy can provide recovery to some patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Selective nonoperative management has become the standard for liver injuries. Accordingly, we cannot perform surgery for liver injuries as frequently as in the past. This report is aimed at sharing a valuable experience of postoperative complications after surgery for a liver injury. Case Presentation. A 40-year-old man was stabbed in his abdomen and underwent an emergency laparotomy for a severe liver injury. Five months after the operation, he developed fever, and purulent discharge was observed from an abdominal fistula. He was diagnosed with a perihepatic abscess and duodenal perforation due to the pledgets used for the operation. He underwent a second surgery to remove the pledgets and the abscess cavity for infection control and was discharged in good condition. Conclusion. The intra-abdominal environment should be considered contaminated due to bile leakage in surgeries following liver injury. Furthermore, nonabsorbable agents should not be used in these contaminated areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuberculosis (TB), especially extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB), is an important cause of fever of unknown origin (FUO) in areas endemic to TB. Liver involvement in TB in the absence of miliary TB is rare. A definitive diagnosis of primary hepatic TB can be challenging and relies on the histological and/or bacteriological findings of the liver tissue obtained by biopsy. TB should be considered in the differential diagnosis of space-occupying lesions and abscesses of the liver. In our case of a 52-year-old adult male with FUO, a positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scan was used, due to lack of any potential diagnostic clues, and a focal lesion was identified as a potential biopsy site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pyogenic liver abscess (PLA), although uncommon in North America, is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. We sought to re-examine the epidemiology, risk factors, and outcomes of PLA in a large, diverse Canadian health zone.Methods: All Calgary Health Zone (CHZ) residents aged ≥20 with PLA between 2015 and 2017 were identified. Incidence and mortality rates were calculated using census data. Risk factors for PLA were identified using a multivariate analysis. Data was compared to 1999-2003 data, also collected in the CHZ.Results: There were 136 patients diagnosed with PLA between 2015 and 2017. Incidence rate during this period increased significantly relative to 1999-2003 (3.7 vs 2.3 cases/100,000 population, p < 0.01), however, mortality rates remained similar. The microbiological composition of PLA did not change over this 15-year time period but the number of antimicrobial resistant isolates did increase (8% vs 1%, p = 0.04). The greatest risk factors for PLA relative to general populations included current malignancy, liver-transplant, end-stage renal disease, and cirrhosis. Thirty-day mortality was 7.4% and independent risk factors included polymicrobial bacteremia, absence of abscess drainage, congestive-heart failure, a history of liver disease, and admission bilirubin.Conclusions: Pyogenic liver abscess is a health concern with rising incidence rate. The increasing prevalence of comorbidities in our population and factors that are associated with risk of PLA suggests this will continue to be an emerging diagnosis of concern. Increasing prevalence of antibiotic resistant organisms compounding unclear optimal treatment regimens is an issue that requires urgent study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eggerthella lenta (E. lenta) is a rare but significant human emerging pathogen. Infections caused by it are rare and little-known, both on clinical and therapeutical aspects, in spite of new emergence of bacteria isolation and identification techniques. In this article, we report a case involving a previously healthy 52-year-old man suffering from a newly diagnosed hepatic abscess who developed E. lenta bacteremia, which was treated successfully using empirical therapy with ertapenem and teicoplanin. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first documented report of E. lenta bacteremia related specifically to liver abscess. Cases related to this bacterial species are infrequent and sporadic; thus, we reviewed English literature on E. lenta infection in PubMed/MEDLINE in the last 50 years. A total of 31 sporadic cases were identified. The majority of patients were male (71%), had an average age of 54.3 years and presented predisposing conditions, such as digestive system trouble (45.2%), immunocompromised state (25.8%) or risk factors (22.6%). Two of the cases had more than one predisposing factors. Fever was common (93.5%). Average days to diagnosis of them were 6.8 days. MALDI-TOF MS is emerging as a fast and useful tool in the identification of it. Teicoplanin, vancomycin, amoxicillin-clavulanate, metronidazole, clindamycin, cefoxitin, chloramphenicol, and carbapenems appear to be the most used antibiotic treatment options. The purpose of this review is to increase awareness about the clinical infections caused by E. lenta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuberculosis (TB) affecting the liver is unusual, and isolated liver TB presenting as a liver abscess more so, even in countries where the disease is endemic. As clinical symptoms and imaging are not typical, a high index of suspicion is necessary for diagnosis. We present here a lady who was admitted with fever and chills. Ultrasound imaging showed a liver abscess. She developed bleeding into the abscess cavity, necessitating an emergency right liver resection. Final histology confirmed mycobacterial granulomatous infection of the liver. Isolated hepatic abscess of tubercular origin is a rare cause of hemorrhage but should be considered as a differential diagnosis. Suspicious features on computerized tomography (CT) scan should prompt microbiological assessment of aspirate from the abscess, establishing the diagnosis, so appropriate treatment can be started, avoiding such complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Liver abscesses are localized collections of necrotic inflammatory tissue caused by bacterial, parasitic or fungal agents. These abscesses are usually suspected clinically in cases having fever and tender hepatomegaly. The diagnosis is usually confirmed on the basis of imaging such as ultrasound and computerised tomography. Management includes antimicrobial agents and drainage of abscess. Percutaneous drainage of abscess is done using needle aspiration or catheter drainage. Aims and Objective: The main aim of the study was to evaluate the role of pigtail catheterization drainage procedure as a treatment option in cases of liver abscess. Materials and Methods: It was a prospective study conducted ata tertiary care medical college. Fifty patients having hepatic abscess were included in this study over a period of one year from August 2018 to September 2019 on the basis of a predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. These patients underwent pigtail catheterization of liver abscess as a treatment. The demographic characteristics, hepatic lobe involvement, offending organisms and complications were studies in these patients. Results: Out of 50 patients 35 were male and 15 were femalewith a M: F ratio of 1:0.42. The age ranged from 4 years to 92 years. The mean age of the studied cases was found to be 38.64 +/- 18.17 years. Right lobe was involved in predominant cases. most common individual organism involved in hepatic abscess formation was klebsiella (30%) followed by streptococcus (20%) and E-coli (8%) organisms. Seven patients developed procedure related complications out of which 5 patients had catheter dislodgment requiring repositioning of catheter 1 patient developed pus discharge from catheter site and remaining 1 patient developed subcapsular hematoma. Conclusion: Percutaneous image guided pigtail catheter of liver abscess is an effective minimal procedure as a treatment option for liver abscess with high success rate with no mortality related to procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Gastrointestinal tuberculosis is an important form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis but liver involvement is uncommon. Hepatic tuberculosis can manifest in variable manners including as a space occupying lesion, diffuse infiltration by granulomas (granulomatous hepatitis) and as liver abscess. Hepatic tuberculosis is usually associated with lesions elsewhere but the diagnosis is often not considered because of rarity. Case report We report two cases of hepatic involvement by tuberculosis: one in the form of liver abscess and the other having multiple hypodense hepatic lesions along with peritoneal involvement. The presence of ascites, visceral scalloping and multiple hypodense lesions resulted in a diagnostic confusion with disseminated malignancy but GeneXpert Ultra (Cepheid, USA) helped in making the diagnosis. Discussion Hepatic tuberculosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of hepatic space occupying lesions and abscesses. This is especially important in TB endemic regions and in patients where there is involvement of other organs especially the lungs. Conclusions Newer microbiological modalities including GeneXpert Ultra could help in making a diagnosis of hepatic tuberculosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 39-year-old female, liver transplanted for Autosomic Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) developed refractory ascites early after surgery, with frequent need of large-volume paracentesis. This was associated with severe sarcopenia and kidney impairment. Liver biopsy showed a sinusoidal congestion with a significant enlargement of hepatic portal veins. This picture suggested the diagnosis of vascular obstructions. Due to an unfavorable passage through the piggy-back surgical anastomosis and the angle between the hepatic veins and the portal branches, a conventional placement of a transjugular portosystemic shunt (TIPS) was not feasible. An alternative approach was pursued with success, using a combined percutaneous-transjugular approach and achieving a complete recovery of ascites, sarcopenia and renal function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC), the treatment of iatrogenic biliary tract injury has been given much attention. However, most accidental right hepatic artery (RHA) injuries are treated with simple clipping. The reason is that the RHA has difficulty in revascularization, and it is generally considered that RHA injury does not cause serious consequences. However, some studies suggest that some cases of RHA ligation can cause a series of pathological changes correlated to arterial ischemia, such as liver abscess, bile tumor, liver atrophy and anastomotic stenosis. Theoretically, RHA blood flow should be restored when possible, in order to avoid the complications of right hepatic ischemia. The present study involved two patients, including one male and one female patient. Both patients were admitted to the hospital with the diagnosis of chronic cholecystitis and gallbladder stone, and developed ischemia of the right half hepatic after accidental transection of the RHA. Both patients underwent continuous end-end anastomosis of the RHA with 6-0 Prolene suture. After the blood vessel anastomosis, the right half liver quickly recovered to its original bright red. No adverse complications were observed in follow-ups at three and six months after the operation. Laparoscopic repair of the RHA is technically feasible. Reconstruction of the RHA can prevent complications associated with right hepatic ischemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary hepatic lymphoma (PHL) is a very rare malignancy and constitutes 0.016% of all cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and 0.4% of extranodal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. We describe a rare case of primary hepatic lymphoma presenting as liver abscess which was complicated with the development of a hepatogastric fistula. A 58-year-old man presented with clinical signs of sepsis, high-grade fever, right upper abdominal pain, and weight loss which had progressed in the past 8 months. Noncontrast abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed a heterogeneously hypodense lesion in the left lobe of the liver with multiple air foci within, which are seen to extend into the body of the stomach. The patient was initially misdiagnosed as a case of rupture of liver abscess into the stomach. Postoperative liver biopsy examination confirmed a diagnosis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Systemic staging revealed no evidence of nodal or bone marrow involvement, so PHL was diagnosed. Chemotherapy was initiated, but discontinued due to the patient's general condition. Finally, the patient succumbed to neutropenic fever following chemotherapy. Here, we present the exceptional case of a primary hepatic lymphoma with an unusual complication, a hepatogastric fistula, and try through the existing literature to show the difficulties involved in diagnosis and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traumatic reticuloperitonitis combined with embolic pneumonia and hepatitis is unusual signs of foreign body syndrome in cattle. A 4‐year‐old Holstein bull presented decreased appetite, dry cough, progressive weight loss, sternal recumbence and reluctance to stand and move. Laboratory tests revealed leucocytosis (18.4 × 103/μl) accompanied by neutrophilia (10.48 × 103/μl), and monocytosis (1.28 × 103/μl), hyperglobulinaemia (6.3 g/dl), hypoalbuminaemia (1.5 g/dl), hyperfibrinogenaemia (10 g/L) and severe increase in gamma‐glutamyl transferase activity (1,216 U/L). Reticular ultrasonographical examination showed a large amount of hyperechoic and hypoechoic content between the reticular serosa and the hepatic visceral surface. The main gross findings included fibrin deposition and adhesions between the reticulum, liver and diaphragm surfaces; a 4.0 mm in diameter transmural reticular perforation; a 12.0‐cm diameter and scarce small randomly abscesses in the liver's parenchyma. The lungs presented multifocal areas of suppurative embolic foci (pulmonary abscesses), interstitial emphysema and multifocal fibrin deposition on the pleural surface. Ancillary diagnostic tests, such as ultrasonography and laboratory test, associated with clinical evaluation, may increase the accuracy of the correct diagnosis and avoid wasting time and money on untreatable cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liver abscess is a condition that is seen by surgeons all over the world. The patients present to the surgical department with features of right hypocondrial pain, fever and jaundice. Investigations such as ultrasound of the abdomen and CT scan of the abdomen are extremely useful in diagnosing a case of liver abscess. The two main causes of liver abscess are amoebic and pyogenic liver abscess. Occasionally a liver abscess may also occur due to fungal infection. Treatment modalities include the use of drugs such as metronidazole for amoebic liver abscess, as well as needle aspiration and pigtail catheter drainage when required. This was a prospective study was carried out from August 2015 to July 2018, for a period of three years. The study was conducted at SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Center, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu, India. Investigations such as complete blood count (CBC), chest x-ray, x-ray abdomen, ultrasound of the abdomen and CECT of the abdomen were done. A total of 57 patients were studied and the results obtained were analysed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a case of amebic liver abscess in a patient with polycystic liver disease (PCLD). A 36-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital due to right upper quadrant pain for 8 months before the admission. She also had episodic diarrhea. At previous admission, she was diagnosed having liver abscess. In the present admission, the diagnosis of amebic liver abscess was made based on the characteristics of abscess, sterile abscess culture, and the presence of cysts and trophozoites of protozoa in the stools. The diagnosis of PCLD was established according to the Gigot and Schnelldorfer criteria. In conclusion, the diagnosis of amebic liver abscess in patient with PCLD requires a holistic investigation and comprehensive follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pyogenic liver abscesses in liver transplant recipients (PLA‐LTR) are a rare disease whose specificities compared with PLA in non‐transplanted patients (PLA‐C) are unknown. Methods: A retrospective case‐control study was conducted in a French academic hospital from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2014. Results: Among 176 patients diagnosed with PLA, 14 were LTR; each case was matched with 3 PLA‐C controls by date of PLA diagnosis and pathophysiological mechanism of PLA. Median time from liver transplantation to PLA diagnosis was 34.5 months. Among 14 PLA‐LTR, 8/14 (57.1%) had bacteremia and 10/14 (71.4%) had positive PLA cultures. Most commonly isolated bacteria were Enterobacteriaceae (9/14; 64.3%), Enterococcus spp. (4/14; 28.6%), and anaerobic bacteria (3/14; 21.4%). Clinical, radiological, and microbiological characteristics did not significantly differ between PLA‐LTR and PLA‐C but there was a tendency toward more diabetic patients and a less acute presentation. All but one PLA‐LTR were associated with ischemic cholangitis, whereas this was a rare cause among PLA‐C (13/14 vs 3/42, respectively, P <.001) among patients with PLA‐LTR. In contrast, hepatobiliary neoplasia was rare in PLA‐LTR but frequent in PLA‐C (1/14 vs 24/42, P =.001). No significant difference was found between PLA‐LTR and PLA‐C in terms of duration of antibiotic therapy (6.5 and 6 weeks, respectively), PLA drainage rates (10/14 and 26/42, respectively), or mortality at 12 months after PLA diagnosis (2/14 and 5/42, respectively). Recurrence rates within the first year were observed in 6/14 patients (42.9%), and retransplantation was needed in 5/14 (35.7%). Conclusions: Occurrence of PLA in LTR is a severe event leading to high risk of recurrence and retransplantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The study describes a large number of children with liver and/or spleen abscesses. • Melioidosis was the commonest etiology identified in these children. • Melioidosis abdominal involvement was characterized mainly by the presence of spleen abscesses. • The spleen was one of the commonest affected organs in children with melioidosis. • Ultrasonography is extremely useful in facilitating diagnosis of melioidosis. Melioidosis is associated with extremely high case fatality ratios. The aim of this study was to determine whether detection of abdominal visceral abscesses can facilitate diagnosis of melioidosis in children. We conducted a retrospective analysis of all children who had liver and/or spleen abscesses on abdominal ultrasonography admitted to Bintulu Hospital in Sarawak, Malaysia, from January 2014 until December 2018. Fifty-three children had liver and/or spleen abscesses. Spleen abscesses were present in 48 (91%) cases; liver abscesses in 15 (28%). Melioidosis was confirmed by culture in 9 (17%) children; small occult splenic abscesses were present in all cases. In 78% of these cases, the lesions were detected before any positive culture (or serology) results were available. Four (8%) children had bacteriologically-confirmed tuberculosis. Two (4%) had Staphylococcus aureus infection. Of the remaining 38 (72%) culture-negative cases, 36 (95%) had clinical and imaging characteristics similar to that of children with culture-confirmed melioidosis and improved with empirical melioidosis antibiotic therapy. A large number of children in Bintulu Hospital in Sarawak, Malaysia, were found to have spleen abscesses. Melioidosis was the most common etiology identified in these children. Abdominal ultrasonography is extremely useful in facilitating the diagnosis of pediatric melioidosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Our hospital's department of general medicine is often involved in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases that are considered by other hospitals or other departments in our hospital to be difficult to diagnose correctly. Objective: The aim of this study was to clarify how patients with infective endocarditis (IE) being admitted to our hospital's department of general medicine were examined and treated and to elucidate their prognosis compared with patients admitted to other departments. Materials and Methods: Inpatients of Saga University Hospital with definite IE from September 2007 to August 2017 were divided into 2 groups: those admitted to the general medicine department (the GM group) and those admitted to other departments (the non-GM group). Results: Seventy-four patients were included; 17 (23%) were admitted to the general medicine department. In the GM group, the percentage of patients diagnosed with definite or suspected IE was lower (0% vs 32%, p=0.008), as was the rate of patients with echocardiographic findings that fulfilled the major modified Duke's criteria (71% vs 98%, p≤ 0.001), preadmission. The GM group had higher percentages of patients with back or joint pain (41% vs 9%, p=0.001) and complications, including pyogenic spondylitis (35% vs 2%, p≤ 0.001), deep-seated abscesses (24% vs 5%, p=0.024), pyogenic arthritis (18% vs 0%, p=0.001), and glomerulonephritis (77% vs 37%, p=0.004) than did the non-GM group. Mortality within 30 days of admission to our hospital (12% vs 14%, p=0.753) and overall in-hospital mortality (12% vs 18%, p=0.570) did not significantly differ. Conclusion: The general medicine department could have accurately diagnosed IE, given appropriate treatments, and obtained similar prognoses to those of IE patients treated by other departments, including cardiology and cardiovascular surgery, even in patients for whom diagnosing IE was more difficult or who had less typical echocardiographic findings preadmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To compare the outcome of patients undergoing conservative management versus ultrasound guided aspiration of small amoebic liver abscess (=<200ml). This observational prospective study was conducted on 60 patients, aged between 18 to 80 years, After confirming the diagnosis, patients were exposed to medical management or USG guided Aspiration. Patients coming for regular follow-up after completing treatment were included in the study. It was found that the majority of the patients were male (86.7%) and with mean age of the studied patients was 37.10±12.66 years. Chief complaints were pain (100%) followed by fever (85.0%) and Nausea/Vomiting (48.3%) pallor (33.3%), icterus (25.0%) and Tenderness (16.7%). Majority of patients had the right lobe of the liver affected (93.4 %) with Single abscess (94.0%). Duration of Hospital stay and time of half reduction in size was significantly higher in conservative management than the USG guided Aspiration. Reoccurrence of abscess in conservative management was in 6 (20.0%) and need of Surgical intervention was in 4 (13.3%) patients while in USG guided Aspiration group only 1 (3.3%) patient shows Reoccurrence. No mortality was observed in our study. In the present study abscess containing volume of pus (<200 cc) was treated with either conservative treatment or USG guided Aspiration. Our data suggested that the USG guided Aspiration and conservative medical management in treatment of Amoebic liver abscess are almost equal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transfer learning techniques are recently preferred for the computer aided diagnosis (CAD) of variety of diseases, as it makes the classification feasible from limited training dataset. In this work, an ensemble FCNet classifier is proposed to classify hepatic lesions from the deep features extracted using GoogleNet–LReLU transfer learning approachs. In the existing GoogLeNet architecture three modifications are done: ReLU activation functions in the inception modules are replaced by leaky ReLU activation function; a stack of three fully connected layers are included before the classification layer; and deep features of different level of abstraction extracted from the output of every inception layer given as classifier input in order to significantly enhance the classifier performance. The performance of the proposed classifier by the virtue of the above mentioned modifications is tested on six classes of liver CT images namely normal, hepatocellular carcinoma, hemangioma, cyst, abscess and liver metastasis. The results presented in this work demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed classifier design in achieving better classification accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 61‐year‐old male presented with progressive generalized weakness, myalgia, diaphoresis, fever, episodic chills and rigors that had started 4 days previously. Chest x‐ray (CXR) showed overlying curvilinear radio‐opacities. Abdominal computed tomography revealed liver and bilateral adrenal lesions. Empiric 7‐day intravenous Piperacillin / Tazobactam (Zosyn) was initiated, and he was admitted for sepsis. After an episode of rigors on Day 2, he developed acute hypoxic respiratory failure with inspiratory stridor. CXR revealed new, bilateral airspace disease. Racemic Epinephrine, Solumedrol, Ketorolac (Toradol) and Diphenhydramine were given, and he was transferred to the intensive care unit with presumptive diagnosis of foreign body aspiration or allergic reaction. With each subsequent episode of rigor and chills, he continued developing hypoxic respiratory failure with stridor and an incremental increase in pulmonary oedema on imaging. Pulmonologist concluded it likely secondary to negative pressure pulmonary oedema caused by transient laryngeal dyskinesia induced by the increased work of breathing associated with rigors. Symptoms resolved after the complete course of antibiotics along with supportive therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary tuberculosis (TB) of the graft presenting as multiple liver abscesses is previously unreported. A 14‐month‐old male child in the early post liver transplant (LT) period presented with high‐grade fever spikes and on evaluation was found to have multiple pyogenic liver abscesses (PLA) in the CT abdomen. His fever was not responding to intravenous antibiotics and liver biopsy was done which showed numerous acid fast bacilli. Genetic analysis confirmed the bacilli as Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). Timely diagnosis and prompt introduction of antituberculosis therapy were lifesaving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ingestion of sharp foreign bodies that cause penetrating wounds to the gut and surrounding structures and its consequences are not often seen in equine medicine. When animals ingest these objects, they tend to have colic episodes and peritonitis, as well as to be prone to abscess formation. The aim of the current case report is to describe liver abscesses and peritonitis, with abdominal adhesions, caused by a penetrating metallic foreign body that was swallowed by a Crioulo mare, which had been showing a history of recurrent colic episodes for 4 months. The animal was subjected to median celiotomy due to suspect enterolithiasis. During the procedure, abdominal adhesions, blood clots in the intestinal loops and enteroliths were observed. These severe changes led to the mare death while she was still recovering from anaesthesia. Necropsy fi ndings revealed abscess formation in the liver, abdominal adhesions, diffuse peritonitis and a penetrating foreign body in the liver. The relevance of the present case study lies on the fact that the assessed mare presented a stable chronic condition, although she had peritonitis and abdominal abscesses. This observation reinforces the importance of assessing all abdominal organs in horses with recurrent colic episodes. The evaluation of abdominal organs through complementary exams and necropsy can help identifying foreign objects inside these animals and it contributes to the challenging diagnosis of colic syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: E. histolytica liver abscess results from extra-intestinal diffusion of amebiasis, which is responsible for up 100 000 deaths per annum, placing it second only to malaria in mortality. Currently, the criterion standard for the diagnosis of liver abscesses is ultrasound, but CEUS (contrast-enhanced ultrasound) is emerging as a more accurate method for liver study, and it could be more accurate than ultrasound and non-invasive compared to CT. Case Report: A white man (59 years old) with a 2-day history of dyspnea, acute abdominal pain in right upper quadrant, and raised inflammatory markers was admitted to a second-level Emergency Department in Rome (Italy). He reported several trips to tropical areas many years before, during which he ingested non-potable water and became infected with Entamoeba histolytica. This was treated medically with success. After administration of antibiotics (meropenem and metronidazole), a liver CEUS (contrast-enhanced ultrasonography) with administration of SonoVue (sulphur hexafluoride microbubbles) confirmed a giant liver abscess (15×16 cm). One day later, CT-guided drainage was performed without complications and the patient was discharged on the 25th post-procedure day, with improved blood results. Conclusions: Acute abdominal pain can be caused by a variety of diseases, but a diagnosis of parasitic abscess should not be overlooked in non-endemic Western countries. CEUS is a new, promising, and more accurate technique that can be utilized to recognize liver abnormalities, including abscesses; however, retrospective population-wide studies are necessary to define the differential diagnoses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 32-year-old female presented to us with worsening cough and expectoration, low-grade fever, and malaise for 3 months. She gave a history of pregnancy loss secondary to urinary tract infection (UTI) a year back. At that time, she was told to have an obstructive right renal calculus. She also had a history of recurrent UTI in the past 1 year. She had no other comorbidities. Her clinical evaluation revealed an enlarged right kidney and reduced air entry in the right hemithorax. Radiological investigations revealed a large right kidney invading into the inferior surface of the right lobe of the liver and the right pleural space. A clinical diagnosis of xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis was made, and she was advised nephrectomy. Intraoperatively, the right kidney was found to invade both the right lobe of the liver and the right pleural cavity through a right diaphragmatic defect. Histopathology of the kidney revealed the presence of foamy histiocytes suggestive of xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis. Invasive xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis is known, however, invasion into the extra-abdominal structures has not been reported in the literature. Our case is a rare manifestation of a rare clinical entity -- xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Clinical Message: Invasive Liver Abscess Syndrome is the most frequent of a number of infectious syndromes caused by hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae clones. While incidences peak in Southeast Asia, travels to Asia and Asian ethnicity are independent risk factors for infection in the western countries, although non‐Asians are infected as well. Although challenging, a prompt diagnosis is of utmost importance to ensure adequate treatment and improve overall survival and visual outcome in cases with ocular involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To study the clinical features of endogenous endophthalmitis (EE) in sample patient populations from the USA and South Korea over an 8-year period.Methods: We reviewed data from 128 eyes of 60 American and 48 Korean patients diagnosed with EE and compared their clinical characteristics.Results: Fungemia and liver abscess were the most common extraocular infection sources among American (26.7%) and Korean patients (33.3%), respectively. Klebsiella pneumoniae and Candida species were the most common pathogens of EE in the Korean and the American patients, respectively. Endophthalmitis caused by fungi had a better visual prognosis than that caused by bacteria (p = 0.001). Vitrectomy was beneficial for eyes with EE due to virulent bacteria presenting with worse than counting finger vision.Conclusions: The predisposing conditions and responsible organisms for EE vary in different regions of the world. The visual prognosis was strongly influenced by the underlying pathogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To report the characteristics of infection and prognostic factors of endogenous endophthalmitis (EE) over an 11-year period.Methods: The clinical records of 41 eyes of 36 patients diagnosed with culture-proven EE at the Rajavithi Hospital were retrospectively reviewed.Results: Median age at presentation was 58 years. Liver abscess (19%) and urinary tract infections (19%) were the most common sources of infection. The most common causative agents were gram-negative organisms (48%). The most commonly isolated microorganism was Klebsiella pneumoniae (26.8%). Worse initial visual acuity and severe intraocular inflammation at first presentation were equally associated with poor visual outcome in the multivariate model (adjusted odds ratio, 20.32; 95% confidence interval [1.12-357.45]; P = 0.040).Conclusions: Endogenous endophthalmitis usually has a poor visual prognosis. Liver abscess and urinary tract infections are common primary sites of infection. Poor initial visual acuity and severe intraocular inflammation at the initial presentation are predictors of poor visual outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification of microbial species has depended predominantly upon culture-based techniques. However, the difficulty with which types of organisms are cultured implies that the grown species may be overrepresented by both cultivation and plate counts. In recent years, culture-independent analysis using high-throughput sequencing has been advocated for use as a point-of-care diagnostic tool. Although it offers a rapid and unbiased survey to characterize the pathogens in clinical specimens, its accuracy is reduced by the high level of contamination of human DNA. In this paper, we propose using a culture-independent analysis for a Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical strain within a liver abscess using nanopore sequencing. Owing to the highly-contaminated cell population within a liver abscess, we managed to reduce the confounding effects of human DNA through the use of DNase and differential centrifugation. Genomic DNA was sequenced through the use of Nanopore MinION sequencer and analyzed using a suite of bioinformatics approaches. K. pneumoniae was successfully identified along with antibiotic-resistant genes. Our results indicate that, by integrating real-time nanopore sequencing and bioinformatics software, real-time pathogen identification in a liver abscess can be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic cholestatic liver disorder characterized by multiple fibrotic strictures of the bile duct. More than 40% of deaths in PSC patients are related to malignant tumors, including cholangiocarcinoma. Primary hepatic adenosquamous carcinoma (ASC) is a rare subtype of cholangiocarcinoma containing adenocarcinoma (AC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) components, with a poorer prognosis than other cholangiocarcinomas. We report the first case of a hepatic ASC in a patient with PSC. Case Report: A 28-year-old man was referred for diagnosis and treatment of a liver abscess suspected by contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT). He had a history of ulcerative colitis and PSC. Abdominal CE-CT revealed a 60-mm-diameter ring-shaped mass with central necrosis in the left lobe. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a poorly circumscribed low-signal-intensity mass in T1-weighted imaging and a high-signalintensity mass with a scattered low-signal-intensity area in T2-weighted imaging. Abdominal ultrasonography showed a hypoechoic component with a diffuse hyperechoic area in the tumor. Ultrasound-guided biopsy and histological examination showed tumor cells with both squamous and glandular differentiation. Left lobectomy was performed. Microscopic examination revealed 2 components, including moderately differentiated AC and well-differentiated SCC. The final diagnosis was hepatic ASC. Conclusion: This is the first reported case of hepatic ASC in a patient with PSC. Patients with PSC should be recognized as being at a risk of not only general cholangiocarcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, and metastatic liver tumor, but also ASC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare the characteristics, visual outcome, and prognostic factors of patients with endogenous endophthalmitis and to determine the association of endophthalmitis with Klebsiella pneumoniae infection.Methods: We retrospectively analyzed records of patients diagnosed with endogenous endophthalmitis from January 2002 to August 2013.Results: A total of 86 patients were diagnosed with endogenous endophthalmitis; 48 patients were infected with K. pneumoniae, 28 patients were infected with other pathogens, and 10 were culture-negative. Diabetes mellitus was more prevalent among patients infected with K. pneumoniae. Liver abscess and urinary tract infection were the leading sources of infection in patients with and without a K. pneumoniae infection, respectively. In patients with endogenous endophthalmitis, poor initial vision (p<0.001) and K. pneumoniae infection (p = 0.048) were significantly associated with a poor visual outcome.Conclusions: Poor initial vision and K. pneumoniae infection were significantly associated with poorer visual outcome for patients with endogenous endophthalmitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amebiasis, colonoscopy, late diagnosis, trophozoites Amebiasis resembles inflammatory bowel disease on colonoscopy.4 If trophozoites had not been detected in the biopsy specimen, the patient would have been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. Keywords: amebiasis; colonoscopy; late diagnosis; trophozoites EN amebiasis colonoscopy late diagnosis trophozoites 278 279 2 07/05/22 20220701 NES 220701 A 43-year-old man underwent total colonoscopy for colorectal cancer screening. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis is among the most reported serotypes of Salmonella species worldwide, but is rarely reported as the causative agent of a liver abscess. Case Report: We present a patient with an abdominal blunt trauma. An initial abdominal computed tomography scan revealed a rupture of the right kidney and of the liver. Two days later, his physical state deteriorated and a new computed tomography scan was obtained. An extremely large 8-centimetre liver abscess was verified. Due to the unsatisfying response to antibiotic therapy and percutaneous drainage, we operated on the patient. An appendectomy, cholecystectomy and bisegmental liver resection were performed. An intraoperative swab from the abscess was positive for Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis. The patient was given intravenous ciprofloxacine. The post-operative course was complicated by a Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus infection of the wound, which improved with antibiotic therapy. Conclusion: Blunt abdominal trauma may initiate an unpredictable course of the disease in chronic Salmonella carriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the use of dual source dual-energy CT (DECT) quantitative parameters compared with the use of conventional CT for differentiating small (≤3cm) intrahepatic mass-forming cholangiocarcinoma (IMCC) from small liver abscess (LA) during the portal venous phase (PVP).Material and Methods: In this institutional review board-approved, retrospective study, 64 patients with IMCCs and 52 patients with LAs who were imaged in PVP using dual-energy mode were included retrospectively. A radiologist drew circular regions of interest in the lesion on the virtual monochromatic images (VMI), color-coded iodine overlay images, and linear blending images with a linear blending ratio of 0.3 to obtain CT value, its standard deviation, slope (k) of spectral curve and normalized iodine concentration (NIC). Two radiologists assessed lesion type on the basis of qualitative CT imaging features.Results: CT values on VMI at 50-130keV (20keV-interval), k, and NIC values were significantly higher in IMCCs than in LAs (p<0.0001). The best single parameter for differentiating IMCC from LA was CT value at 90keV, with sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of 89.1%, 86.5%, 87.9%, 89.1%, and 86.5%, respectively. The best combination of parameters was CT value at 90keV, k, and NIC, with values of 87.5%, 84.6%, 83.6%, 87.5%, and 84.6%, respectively. Compared with CT value at linear blending images, CT value at 90keV showed greater sensitivity (89.1% vs 60.9%, p<0.0001) and similar specificity (86.5% vs 84.6%, p=1.0000), and combined CT value at 90keV, k, and NIC showed greater sensitivity (87.5% vs 60.9%, p<0.0001) and similar specificity (84.6% vs 84.6%, p=1.0000). Compared with qualitative analysis, CT value at 90keV showed greater sensitivity (89.1% vs 65.6%, p=0.0059) and specificity (86.5% vs 69.2%, p=0.0352), and combined CT value at 90keV, k, and NIC showed greater sensitivity (87.5% vs 65.6%, p=0.0094) and similar specificity (84.6% vs 69.2%, p >0.05).Conclusion: Quantitative analysis of dual source dual-energy CT quantitative parameters showed greater accuracy than quantitative and qualitative analyses of conventional CT for differentiating small IMCCs from small LAs on single PVP scan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biliary cysts are congenital cystic dilatations of the extrahepatic and/or intrahepatic biliary tree. Intrahepatic cysts constitute less than 1% of the biliary cysts. Complications of these cysts include cholangitis, livercirrhosis, liver abscess andcholangiocarcinoma. In intrahepatic cysts the complications can also be related to compression of adjacent viscera, infection of the cyst's contents or perforation of the cyst. Spontaneous fistulization of a biliary cyst into hollow abdominal organsis a rare complication. We report an exceptionalcase in whom an intrahepatic biliary cyst spontaneouslyfistulized into hepatic flexure of the colon. Patient presented to our hospital with 02 months history of abdominal pain, weight loss, and 02 weeks of jaundice. Thecommunication with colon was diagnosed by CT scan before surgery. But, surgical intervention was required for the complete diagnosis. Postoperatively, patientrecovery was uneventful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors describe a case of Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess (KPLA) in a student presenting to a university student health center. The authors also provide a review of KPLA and invasive Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess syndrome (IKPLAS), including epidemiology, common clinical manifestations, standard diagnostic work-up, management options, and potential complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a case of hepatic brucelloma in France. This diagnosis may be suspected in any patient who has a liver abscess after traveling to a brucellosis-endemic area. Brucella spp. may be detected by PCR in the liver tissue or suppuration. Abscess drainage and prolonged antimicrobial therapy help achieve healing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The virulence role of surface antigens in a single serotype of Klebsiella pneumoniae strain have been studied, but little is known about whether their contribution will vary with serotype. Method: To investigate the role of K and O antigen in hyper-virulent strains, we constructed O and K antigen deficient mutants from serotype K1 STL43 and K2 TSGH strains from patients with liver abscess, and characterized their virulence in according to the abscess formation and resistance to neutrophil phagocytosis, serum, and bacterial clearance in liver. Results: Both of K1 and K2-antigen mutants lost their wildtype resistance to neutrophil phagocytosis and hepatic clearance, and failed to cause abscess formation. K2-antigen mutant became serum susceptible while K1-antigen mutant maintained its resistance to serum killing. The amount of glucuronic acid, indicating the amount of capsular polysaccharide (CPS, K antigen), was inversed proportional to the rate of phagocytosis. O-antigen mutant of serotype K1 strains had significantly more amount of CPS, and more resistant to neutrophil phagocytosis than its wildtype counterpart. O-antigen mutants of serotype K1 and K2 strains lost their wildtype serum resistance, and kept resistant to neutrophil phagocytosis. While both mutants lacked the same O1 antigen, O-antigen mutant of serotype K1 became susceptible to liver clearance and cause mild abscess formation, but its serotype K2 counterpart maintained these wildtype virulence. Conclusion: We conclude that the contribution of surface antigens to virulence of K. pneumoniae strains varies with serotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]