1. Amebic liver abscess: report of three cases.
- Author
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Fumarola L, Francavilla A, Palasciano N, Ialongo P, Pastore G, Sforza E, Rizzo C, Di Marzo L, and Monno R
- Subjects
- Adult, Amebicides therapeutic use, Animals, Antibodies, Protozoan blood, Burkina Faso, Combined Modality Therapy, Endemic Diseases, Entamoebiasis epidemiology, Entamoebiasis transmission, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, Feces parasitology, Humans, Italy, Liver Abscess, Amebic blood, Liver Abscess, Amebic drug therapy, Liver Abscess, Amebic surgery, Male, Metronidazole therapeutic use, Middle Aged, Philippines ethnology, Suction, Travel, Entamoeba histolytica immunology, Liver Abscess, Amebic diagnosis
- Abstract
Amebic abscess is a common manifestation of extraintestinal amebiasis and it is associated with relatively high morbidity and mortality. We present three cases seen in Bari, Southern Italy, one of which was autochthonous and the other two were not. Diagnosis was performed by elevated antibody titre for E. histolytica through immunofluorescence assay and positive antigen determination by ELISA in stools and in abscess aspirate. Fever often accompanied by chills, abdominal pain, weight loss and hepatomegaly were present. Laboratory findings also revealed leukocytosis with neutrophilia. Pleural effusion was observed in two patients. In all our patients multiple abscesses were observed. All the patients were treated with metronidazole and two of them also underwent the aspiration of the amoebic abscess. In all of them there was improvement of the clinical picture, as demonstrated by computerized tomography.
- Published
- 2007