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Liver abscess is endemic in resource-limited countries such as The Gambia where access to advanced imaging techniques or modern treatment modalities is limited. Despite this, mortality in this cohort was low. Therefore antibiotic therapy combined with percutaneous abscess drainage remains a reasonable treatment strategy of liver abscess in resource-poor settings., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objectives: Bacterial liver abscess is one of the common infectious diseases of the digestive system. Invasive Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess syndrome (IKLAS) refers to cases where, in addition to liver abscess, there are migratory infections foci or other invasive manifestations. The clinical characteristics and risk factors of IKLAS are not fully elucidated, and there is a lack of research on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of different treatment methods. This study aims to compare the clinical characteristics of patients with IKLAS and non-IKLAS, and explore effective and economical treatment methods., Methods: This retrospective study collected medical records of patients with Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess treated at Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from January 2010 to December 2023. A total of 201 patients were included, dividing into an IKLAS group ( n =37) and a non-IKLAS group ( n =164). Differences in demographics, symptoms and signs, laboratory indicators, imaging characteristics, comorbidities, treatment methods, treatment outcomes, and direct treatment costs between 2 groups were analyzed. The study also compared the effectiveness and costs of different treatment methods., Results: Compared with the non-IKLAS group, the proportion of patients with diabetes, Quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA)≥2, immune deficiency, anemia, and thrombocytopenia in the IKLAS group was higher, and the level of procalcitonin at the onset in the IKLAS group was also higher (all P <0.05). In terms of symptoms and signs, the IKLAS group had a higher proportion of visual abnormalities and a lower proportion of complaints of abdominal pain (both P <0.05). In terms of complications, the incidence of combined pleural effusion, pulmonary infection, acute renal failure, respiratory failure, and multiple organ failure was higher in the IKLAS group (all P <0.05). The IKLAS group had a higher proportion of patients treated with antibiotics alone (24.32% vs 11.59%), while the non-IKLAS group had a higher proportion of patients treated with antibiotics combined with puncture and drainage (86.59% vs 64.86%, both P <0.05). The overall effective rate of the IKLAS group (83.78%) was lower than that of the non-IKLAS group (95.73%), and the treatment and drug costs were higher (all P <0.05). The treatment method of antibiotics combined with surgical resection of infectious foci showed a 100% improvement rate, antibiotics combined with abscess puncture and drainage had an 84.9% improvement rate, and in antibiotics alone had an 82.1% improvement rate, with statistical differences among the 3 treatment methods ( P <0.05). In terms of treatment costs, antibiotics alone were the most expensive ( P <0.05)., Conclusions: Patients with IKLAS have poorer prognosis and higher direct medical costs. The combination of abscess puncture and drainage or surgery has a higher improvement rate and lower hospitalization costs compared to antibiotics alone, suggesting that surgical intervention may reduce antibiotic costs and save medical expenses.

Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no competing interests.

Aseptic liver abscesses occur very rarely. Clinical guidelines on the management of the disease do not exist, and the diagnosis is challenging.We screen MEDLINE and PUBMED databases for relevant case reports from inception to November 2022. Information on patient age, sex, initial symptoms, the extent of abscess formation, further diagnoses, treatment, and course of the disease is analyzed.Thirty cases with sterile hepatic abscess formation are identified. In most patients (n=18), the spleen is affected as well. Patients typically present with fever, abdominal pain, and increased inflammatory values. Comorbidity with inflammatory bowel disease is very common (n=18) and is associated with a significantly younger age at the time of hepatic abscess development. In addition, many patients show autoimmune-mediated cutaneous, ocular, or arthritic rheumatoid manifestations. Histological examination of abscess material reveals neutrophilic infiltration. The majority of patients initially receive corticosteroid therapy. Furthermore, response to azathioprine, anti-TNF-α antibodies, and other immunomodulatory drugs is reported. Ten out of fourteen patients with a long-term follow-up (≥ 36 months) have at least one relapse of hepatic abscess formation.Aseptic hepatic abscesses should be considered in the case of sterile punctures and non-response to antibiotics. Patients with aseptic liver abscesses have a high risk of recurrence warranting immunomodulatory maintenance therapy., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) caused imminent acute infection of respiratory tract known as Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Complications of hepatobiliary system especially liver often found in post-acute COVID-19 patients. However, there are only few studies specifically discussing about liver abscess in patients who had history of contracted COVID-19. We present a case of a 54-years-old gentleman with no previous medical illness and no history of vaccination, who was presented with ruptured liver abscess post COVID-19 infection Category 4 (symptomatic with lung infection and the need of oxygen supplementation). Percutaneous drainage was performed to drain the abscess and collections.

Objective: To investigate the clinical findings, treatment strategies, and outcomes in dogs with confirmed hepatic abscessation., Design: Retrospective cohort study from 2010 to 2019., Setting: Multicenter study., Animals: Fifty-six client-owned dogs with hepatic abscessation confirmed by culture, cytology, or histopathology., Measurements and Main Results: Dogs were presented for lethargy (39/56), hyporexia (31/56), and vomiting (26/56). Abnormal physical examination findings included increased temperature (41/56) and abdominal pain (22/54). CBCs revealed neutrophilia (31/49), toxic changes (25/49), anemia (28/49), and thrombocytopenia (23/49). Biochemical analyses revealed increased alkaline phosphatase (45/50), increased alanine aminotransferase (40/50), hypoalbuminemia (25/48), and hyperbilirubinemia (19/49). Hypoglycemia was found in 13 of 49 dogs. Hepatic abscesses ranging from 0.5 to 15 cm in diameter were identified ultrasonographically in 37 of 48 dogs; 19 of 37 had solitary abscesses, and 18 of 37 had multifocal abscessation. Escherichia coli was the most commonly cultured organism, isolated in 18 of 42 cases. Histopathology revealed underlying hepatic neoplasia in 10 of 47 dogs. Surgical management was performed in 41 of 49 dogs, and 35 of 41 survived to discharge. Medical management was performed in 8 of 49 dogs, and 5 of 8 survived to discharge. With univariate analysis, hypoglycemia and multifocal abscessation were associated with decreased odds of survival (odds ratio [OR]: 0.2, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.03-0.9, P = 0.04; OR: 0.07, 95% CI: 0.01-0.6, P = 0.02, respectively). With multivariate analysis, only multifocal abscessation was associated with decreased odds of survival (OR: 0.09, 95% CI: 0.01-0.87, P = 0.04)., Conclusions: Hepatic abscessation, although rare, should remain a differential diagnosis for dogs presenting with nonspecific clinical signs and increase liver enzyme activities, especially with concurrent increased temperature and neutrophilia. Rate of survival to discharge for dogs in this study was consistent with previously reported survival rates, with 40 of 56 (71%) of the total population surviving to discharge. No variables assessed were able to predict survival to discharge; however, hypoglycemia and multifocal abscessation should be assessed in larger populations to determine prognostic significance., (© Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society 2023.)

Background: Liver abscess (LA) is an important cause of morbidity in children, especially in tropical countries. There is a paucity of data in pediatric LA with no standard guidelines regarding the best modality of treatment and drainage. With a large influx of patients at our center and protocol-based management; we aimed to study clinic-radiologic profile, risk factors, complications and outcomes of children with liver abscess and assessed possible predictors for poor outcomes., Materials and Methods: This retrospective observational study was conducted from January 2019 to September 2019 at a tertiary care hospital in India. Records of all children (<12 years of age) with ultrasonographically diagnosed liver abscess were accessed for clinic-radiological and demographic profile, laboratory investigations, treatment, complications and outcomes. Patients were categorized into favorable or unfavorable groups based on predefined criteria and were compared for possible predictors of poor outcomes. Outcomes for the protocol-based management were analyzed., Results: There were 120 cases of pediatric liver abscess with a median age of 5 years at presentation. The commonest clinical features were fever (100%) and pain in the abdomen (89.16%). The majority of liver abscesses were solitary (78.4%) and in the right lobe (73.3%). Malnutrition was present in 27.5%, overcrowding for 76.5% of patients and worm infestation in 2.5% of patients. Age-related leukocytosis ( P = 0.004), neutrophilia ( P = 0.013), elevated Aspartate transaminase ( P = 0.008), elevated alanine transaminase ( P = 0.007) and hypoalbuminemia ( P = 0.014) were significantly more in the unfavorable group. Overall, 29.2% of patients underwent conservative management with antibiotics alone, 25.0% underwent percutaneous needle aspiration (PNA), 49.1% underwent ultrasound-guided percutaneous drain (PCD) insertion and open surgical drainage (OSD) was needed in a single patient. The success rate was 100% for conservative management, 76.6% for PNA, 94.7% for PCD and 100% for OSD with an overall mortality of 2.5%., Conclusions: Age-related leukocytosis, neutrophilia, elevated aspartate transaminase or alanine transaminase and hypoalbuminemia at presentation are predictors of poor outcomes in pediatric liver abscess. Protocol-based management leads to the appropriate use of PNA and PCD while decreasing mortality and morbidity related to either., Competing Interests: The authors have no funding or conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To explore differences in the changes of clinical and CT manifestations related to liver abscess before and after CT-guided interventional therapy between patients with and without Diabetes Mellitus (DM)., Materials and Methods: Fifty-eight consecutive patients with liver abscesses were retrospectively enrolled in this study. All patients underwent upper abdominal contrast-enhanced CT scans before and after CT-guided interventional therapy. They were divided into two groups including the DM group (n=30) and the Non-DM group (n=28) if the liver abscess occurred in patients with and without DM, respectively. The changes in the clinical and CT manifestations related to liver abscess after CT-guided interventional therapy in both groups were statistically analyzed., Results: After CT-guided interventional therapy, the length of hospital stay, white blood cell recovery time and drainage tube removal time in the DM group were longer than in the Non-DM group (all p-values < 0.05). The incidence of postoperative complications in the DM group was higher than in the Non-DM group (p < 0.05). As shown on CT, the postoperative reduced percentage of maximum diameter of abscess cavity and the reduction rate of edema band surrounding the liver abscess in the DM group were smaller than in the Non-DM group (both p-values < 0.05). The time intervals of the previous characteristic changes on CT before and after interventional therapy in the DM group were longer than in the Non-DM group (all p-values < 0.05)., Conclusions: The liver abscesses patients with DM could not have a faster recovery and better therapeutic effect than those without DM after the CT-guided interventional therapy., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 HCFMUSP. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Currently, the therapeutic effect and outcomes of US-PCD in patients with liver abscess and septic shock remain unclear. This study is aimed at investigating the effects of ultrasound-guided percutaneous catheter drainage (US-PCD) on the prognosis of patients with liver abscess complicated with septic shock., Method: We retrieved and assessed the data of 120 patients with liver abscess complicated with septic shock diagnosed at our hospital from January 2019 to March 2021. The patients underwent US-PCD in the observation group or conventional surgical incision and drainage in the control group. After treatment, we determined the levels of liver function indicators alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin (TBIL), direct bilirubin (DBIL), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) as well as the levels of inflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-8, and TNF- α in serum using ELISA on postoperative days 0, 2, 4, and 6. The postoperative body temperature recovery, peripheral white blood cell count recovery, extubation, postoperative length of stay, and complications were recorded, with a 12-month follow-up to calculate their survival rate., Results: After treatment, the ALT, AST, TBIL, DBIL, and ALP levels and inflammatory factor levels in the two groups were gradually reduced over time and returned to the normal range with a better recovery trend in the observation group. US-PCD was associated with better postoperative body temperature recovery, peripheral white blood cell count recovery, shorter extubation time, hospital stay, lower postoperative rate, and a higher survival rate., Conclusion: US-PCD may be effective in treating liver abscess and can significantly improve the prognosis of patients., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2022 Shoulin Li et al.)

Background and Study Aims: Liver abscesses are rare in the Western pediatric population and data on predisposing factors and etiology are scarce. We aimed to describe predisposing factors, microbiological characteristics, and treatment., Patients and Methods: Retrospective analysis of children admitted to two tertiary care hospitals in Belgium from 1 January 1996 to 31 December 2019. We analyzed clinical features, predisposing factors, imaging characteristics, microbiological data, treatment, and outcome in children with a liver abscess and compared these data with the literature., Results: We collected 24 cases with a male to female ratio of 1.4 and a median age of 3.2 years at time of diagnosis. Survival was 95.8%. Invasive culture specimens were obtained in 83.3% and showed growth of bacteria in 55%. Parenteral antibiotics were administered before invasive culture sampling in 80%. Liver abscesses were cryptogenic in four (16.7%) patients. Hepatobiliary disease was the most prevalent predisposing factor (n = 6; 25%), followed by recent antineoplastic therapy for malignancies (n = 5; 20.8%), intra-abdominal surgical pathology (n = 4; 16.7%) and umbilical venous catheters (n = 2; 8.3%). In two patients there was a parasitic origin (n = 2; 8.3%) and in one it was caused by Bartonellosis. There was no diagnosis of chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) in our cohort., Conclusions: Pediatric liver abscesses have a favorable outcome in the developed world. Whenever feasible, invasive abscess culture specimens should be obtained. In patients presenting with a cryptogenic liver abscess or atypical disease course, immunological workup should be ensured., (© Acta Gastro-Enterologica Belgica.)

Many cases of Clostridium perfringens sepsis prove to be fatal. We present a case of C. perfringens sepsis with a liver abscess as the focus of infection, which was successfully treated by an interdisciplinary intensive medical care management. The sepsis with this rare pathogen was favored by the presence of a bilioenteric anastomosis and immunosuppressive treatment of a pre-existing Crohn's disease. Antibiotic treatment with clindamycin and penicillin G was initiated and the abscess was drained. Hemodialysis with high cut-off filters was started because of acute kidney failure in the Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) stage III, hemolysis and rhabdomyolysis. Therapeutic plasma exchange was performed due to sepsis and acute liver failure., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Medizin Verlag GmbH, ein Teil von Springer Nature.)

Background and Study Aims: A full understanding of the clinical manifestations and risk factors for hepatic abscesses with biloma formation after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is crucial for accurate diagnosis and effective therapeutic intervention., Patients and Methods: 11,524 patients with hepatic tumors were treated with TACE. 84 patients were diagnosed with hepatic abscesses after TACE, and 35 progressed to hepatic bilomas and were treated with percutaneous transhepatic drainage (PTD) and/or percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography and drainage (PTCD). Clinical features, blood samples, bacterial cultures, and imaging data were collected, and incidence, risk factors, therapeutic effects, and prognostic indicators were analyzed., Results: The incidence of biloma in patients with liver abscesses was 41.7% with an average diagnosis time of 12.3 ± 3.2 days. 71.4% of patients complained of abdominal pain, and 63.7% had metastatic liver cancer. In the latter patients, clinical features included multiple abscess lesions with a poor blood supply to the tumor and large necrotic lesions. The original tumors were primarily in the digestive system (87.0%). The mean diameter of the largest lesions was 6.5 ± 2.3 cm. Before abscess formation, the Child-Pugh liver function classification was grade A in 14 cases and grade B in 21 cases. Escherichia coli was the most frequently seen infectious bacteria. Liver function was significantly compromised by the occurrence of hepatic abscesses. The mean survival time after diagnosis of liver abscesses in all patients was 11.5 ± 0.6 months. The causes of death included abscess (n = 9, 25.7%), tumor (n = 22, 62.9%), and other causes (n = 4, 11.4%). Risk factors included tumors, gastrointestinal surgery, and diabetes., Conclusion: PTD and/or PTCD combined with active antibiotics are recommended as the first-line treatment and are effective therapeutic regimens for biloma formation after TACE., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interests The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021 Pan-Arab Association of Gastroenterology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Liver abscess (LA), a common problem in children in the tropics, is believed to be mostly pyogenic (PLA), sometimes amebic (ALA). We aimed to analyze the clinical profile, etiology, risk factors for complications, management and outcomes of LA in children., Methods: The details of 81 children with LA managed in a tertiary set up over a period of 3 years were analyzed. A comparison of different parameters was performed with respect to etiology and complications., Results: ALA, PLA and mixed infection LA were diagnosed in 40 (49.4%), 32 (39.5%) and 9 (11.1%) children. The triad of fever, hepatomegaly and right upper quadrant tenderness was seen in 65 (80.2%). Coagulopathy was observed in 60 (77%) and jaundice in 12 (14.8%). Majority (71.6%) had a single LA in the right lobe (69%). Conservative, percutaneous needle aspiration, percutaneous catheter drainage and surgical drainage were done in 11.1%, 3.7%, 82.7% and 2.5%, respectively. Forty-three (53.1%) had complicated LA with rupture in 55.8% and vascular thrombosis in 16.2%. Children with complicated LA had higher alanine transaminase, prolonged prothrombin time/international normalized ratio, low serum protein and albumin levels (P < 0.05). Median duration of follow-up was 2 months and mean time to resolution of LA was 48.5 ± 18 days., Conclusions: ALA is the commonest cause of pediatric LA in endemic regions and is difficult to differentiate from PLA clinically. Percutaneous catheter drainage is safe and effective modality for the management of LA in children. A higher alanine transaminase, prolonged prothrombin time/international normalized ratio and low serum albumin levels (<3 g/dL) at presentation identify complicated LA., Competing Interests: The authors have no funding or conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Percutaneous catheter drainage is one way of treating large liver abscesses that are partially liquefied or have thick pus. Apart from discomfort, severe pain, inflammation or frank cellulitis at the insertion site, and sometimes catheter dislodgement, failure to retrieve a catheter is unusual. This may occur either due to fibrous tissue securing the catheter or when inspissated secretions prevent the catheter tip from straightening. N-acetyl cysteine is a mucolytic and exerts action in many parts of the body such as the mouth, throat and lungs. We report successful removal of a catheter stuck in the liver using this substance.

COVID-19 pandemic has obviously affected patients' behavior towards seeking medical help as well as physicians' decision in the management of emergencies. Our recent experience as surgeons at a COVID-19 referral hospital revealed cases which share an alerting characteristic: the delay in appropriate management. Unfortunately for COVID-19 negative patients a "coronacentric" health system has been adopted. In view of measures applied to avoid spread of the disease, a significant delay in patients' presentation as well as in their in-hospital management is observed. We present cases where delay in appropriate management affected the patients' outcome and underline the fact that balancing between COVID-19 safety measures and a patient who needs urgent treatment can be very challenging and stressful.

Background: This study aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of percutaneous needle aspiration (PNA) and percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD) in the treatment of liver abscess., Methods: A prospective randomized study was conducted in the Department of Surgery, JN Medical College, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, UP, India, between February 2018 and August 2019, after getting approval from the institutional ethics committee. A total of 543 patients with liver abscess were randomized into two groups using computer-generated randomization method. Appropriate details regarding patients' clinico-demographic profile and investigations were also collected. The effectiveness of either treatment was measured in terms of duration of intravenous antibiotic, clinical improvement, reduction in the size of cavity, treatment success rate, duration of hospital stay including long-term outcomes such as sonographic resolution of cavity and recurrence rate at 6 months post-treatment., Results: The PCD group had statistically significant rate of duration of antibiotics need, days for clinical improvement and time for 50% reduction in abscess cavity and treatment success rate with comparable long-term outcomes., Conclusion: PCD is more efficient than PNA and can be used primarily in the treatment of both amoebic and pyogenic liver abscesses along with systemic antibiotics. However, PNA can serve as a safe alternative when PCD is not available., (© 2020 Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.)

A 72-year-old man underwent transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for solitary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) located on the S6 segment. He had a history of anti-viral therapy for hepatitis C virus and was being treated for diabetes mellitus with inadequate control. On day 28 after TACE, he visited our hospital again, with complaints of fever and abdominal pain in the right upper quadrant. Blood examination showed elevated levels of white blood cells and C-reactive protein. Computed tomography showed a poorly marginated, low-density lesion measuring 9.5 × 8.0 × 4.0 cm, forming multiple small gas bubbles, located superiorly, and in contact with HCC treated by TACE. Ultrasound-guided puncture revealed whiffy and muddy pus. Gram staining of the pus showed the presence of numerous gram-positive rods, which were identified as Cutibacterium namnetense. He underwent percutaneous trans-hepatic abscess drainage and received antibiotics treatment. The abscess was successfully treated, and he was discharged on day 19. The incidence of liver abscess after TACE is rare, and intestinal microbiota have been reported to be the common pathogens. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of liver abscess caused by Cutibacterium namnetense.

An 88-year-old woman developed a huge abscess, forming an air-fluid level in the right lobe of the liver. A pigtail catheter was placed and drained thick pus with putrid odor from the abscess cavity. Gram-positive rods were detected in the pus, which were subsequently determined to be Clostridium perfringens by culture. She developed hemorrhaging in the abscess cavity when the right inferior phrenic artery was damaged by inflammation that had spread from the abscess. Emergency transarterial embolization with gelatin sponges was performed, and the bleeding ceased. We herein report a rare case of liver abscess that caused inferior phrenic artery injury, resulting in bleeding.

Purpose: To evaluate and compare the efficacy of intermittent needle aspiration and continuous catheter drainage in ultrasound-guided management of liver abscesses., Methods: This was a prospective, randomised study conducted on 100 patients (88 males and 12 females; age range 22-74 years) with liver abscess(es) and having abscess size more than 5 cm, divided into two groups: Percutaneous needle aspiration (PNA) (n = 50) and percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD) (n = 50). Criteria of exclusion were: rupture of abscess before intervention; prior intervention; uncorrectable coagulopathy; concomitant biliary tract malignancy. In the PNA group, pus was aspirated by an 18-gauge needle using freehand technique and the number of aspirations was limited to two. Failure of abscess size to decline below 50% of the original diameter or of clinical improvement after second aspiration was considered as failure of aspiration. In the PCD group, drainage was done by 12-French catheters using Seldinger technique. Drainage was considered as failure if abscess cavity did not resolve and laparotomy was needed to evacuate the pus cavity., Result: The success rate in the PNA group was 88% and 92% in the PCD group; however, this difference was statistically not significant, suggesting that both are equally efficacious. The total duration of hospital stay (mean 6.8 days [PNA] vs 10.5 days [PCD]; p value: 0.011) and the average duration between intervention and discharge (5.9 days [PNA] vs 10.2 days [PCD]; p value:0.026) were significantly less in the PNA group. One major complication was seen in our study: peritonitis due to peri-catheter leak in PCD group., Conclusion: Both procedures are equally efficacious in the management of liver abscesses; however in view of less duration of hospital stay, patient safety and comfort, procedure simplicity, and the reduced cost, needle aspiration should be used as the first-line procedure in the treatment of liver abscess (even in abscesses more than 5 cm). Catheter drainage should be reserved for cases that do not respond to a second attempt of aspiration.

Malassezia sp. require exogenous lipid for growth and can cause disseminated infection in neonates requiring intravenous lipid infusions. Usually, Malassezia infection in neonates presents as fungemia or hematogenous dissemination into bone or lungs. We present a presumed case of Malassezia liver abscess associated with lipid infusion via a mispositioned umbilical venous catheter.

Liver abscess is a rare condition. There are multiple etiologies and mortality linked to the infections or local complications is high. The rapid diagnosis and the implementation of an adequate and effective treatment are essential to allow healing without sequels. We report the case of a monofocal bacterial hepatic abscess in a 61-year-old patient with an iatrogenic origin. A review of the literature is proposed in order to address the incidence, the different microorganisms, the different etiologies and the different possibilities of treatment. It should be noted that mycotic abscess, which is extremely rare outside the immunocompromised patient, will not be discussed in this article.

A 65-year-old man who had diabetes mellitus was referred to our hospital due to fever and back pain. Laboratory findings showed liver dysfunction and C-reactive protein (CRP) elevation. Enhanced computed tomography (CT) showed multiple liver abscesses, hepatic vein and inferior vena cava thrombosis, and spondylodiscitis in the fourth lumbar vertebrae. Based on several detections of Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) in blood culture, he was diagnosed as having invasive liver abscess syndrome (ILAS), which is characterized by liver abscess and metastatic infection caused by K. pneumoniae. Despite the prompt improvement of liver abscess and thrombosis, after administering antibiotics and anticoagulant, spondylodiscitis worsened. Additionally, iliopsoas abscess emerged on repeated CT imaging. Lumbar laminectomy was needed as a radical treatment. We reviewed 12 cases of ILAS representing spondylodiscitis, and surgical treatments for spondylodiscitis were required in 7 of these cases (58%). When encountering patients with liver abscess and spondylodiscitis, we should consider the possibility of invasive disseminated K. pneumoniae infection, which is hard to treat with antibiotics alone and sometimes requires surgical treatments for spondylodiscitis.

BACKGROUND Although episodes of liver abscess (LA) have been reported in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), specific symptoms in these patients remain unclear. MATERIAL AND METHODS The clinical characteristics, laboratory findings, treatments, and final clinical outcomes of LA in 53 HIV-infected patients were analyzed. RESULTS The most common clinical manifestations were fever (92.5%), chills (41.5%), and abdominal pain (37.7%). The mean CD4⁺ T cell count in these HIV-infected patients at admission was 328.09±236.192 cells/µL. LA and blood cultures were positive in six (17.6%) and two (5.4%) patients, respectively. Thirteen strains of pathogens, including Staphylococcus, Corynebacterium, and Candida, were detected in LA cultures. Forty-four (95.7%) of 46 patients were successfully treated with antibiotics plus image-guided percutaneous aspiration, drainage, or surgery, whereas four (57.1%) of the remaining seven patients were successfully treated with antibiotics alone. Septic shock [odds ratio (OR)=8.970; 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.840-92.110; p=0.014] and ascites (OR=7.057; 95% CI=0.683-72.957; p=0.016) were found to be independent risk factors for poor prognosis. The clinical characteristics of LA in HIV-infected patients were nonspecific, with bacteria being the primary pathogens. CONCLUSIONS Antibiotics plus image-guided percutaneous drainage can effectively improve treatment outcomes in HIV-infected patients with LA.

Campylobacter upsaliensis is an enteropathogenic bacterium in animals, and is also rarely isolated from humans, where it can cause enteritis and bacteremia. This report describes the first case of isolation of C. upsaliensis from an infected giant hepatic cyst. This bacterium could not be cultured from abscess punctuate in a usual Campylobacter-selection medium (charcoal cefoperazone deoxycholate agar medium), because of high concentration of cefoperazone as a selection agent. It could not identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrum. Rather, it was identified as C. upsaliensis by whole genome sequencing, including by multilocus sequence typing., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None., (Copyright © 2020 Japanese Society of Chemotherapy and The Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Transhepatic placement of a metallic biliary stent for internal drainage of persistent liver abscesses was performed in 9 patients (males; median age, 65 years; range, 57-82 years) with refractory liver abscess. The median follow-up period was 2.8 months (range, 0.4-50.3 months). Technical success was achieved in all cases without any major complications. Clinical success, defined as the removal of the drainage tube without recurrent symptoms of infection, was achieved in 8 cases. Median duration until removal of the drainage tube from stent placement was 7 days (range, 0-36)., (Copyright © 2020 SIR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess (KPLA) is often associated with accompanying metastatic complications such as septic pulmonary embolism, brain abscess, and endophthalmitis. Pleural empyema secondary to a KPLA is a very unusual finding, made even more rare with the presence of a hepatopleural fistula., Patient Concerns: An 81-year-old woman presented with aggravated dyspnea., Diagnosis: The patient was diagnosed with KPLA with empyema through computed tomography (CT) scan findings and pleural fluid culture., Interventions: The empyema was drained by thoracostomy, and treatment with empirical antibiotics was initiated. After early removal of the chest tube, the liver abscess as well as the empyema increased. An additional liver abscess drainage procedure was performed., Outcomes: The fever resolved and dyspnea improved following drainage of effusion. Three days later, the follow-up chest radiograph showed decreased pleural effusion., Conclusion: Pleural empyema is a rare but fatal complication secondary to KPLA. Additionally, the discovery of a hepatopleural fistula on a CT scan (multiplanar reconstruction image) made this case even more rare. Both, the liver abscess and pleural empyema, were effectively drained through the fistula tract with drainage procedure, thoracostomy, and additional liver abscess drainage. Prompt diagnostic evaluation, using an imaging modality such as CT, and early drainage management with intravenous antibiotics can improve clinical outcome.

Objective: To review the managing strategies of adult patients with liver trauma in a tertiary care hospital during a six years period., Methods: The medical records of all patients admitted with a diagnosis of liver trauma from January 2012 to December 2017 in the Aga Khan University Hospital were retrospectively reviewed. The details of demographic, clinical, and outcome variables including morbidity and mortality rates were noted., Results: A total of 182 patients were admitted at AKUH with liver trauma between January 2012 and December 2017. Twenty-two patients were excluded according to our study criteria. Of 160 patients, 139 were male and 21 were female. One hundred twenty seven (79.4%) patients were less than 45 years of age. Most patients (89.4%) had no comorbids and 48 (44%) arrived at the hospital within 4 hours of injury. Majority, 101 (63.1%) of the patients had blunt trauma and 142 (89%) met with road accidents. A total of 109 (68.1%) patients were stable at arrival and 77 (48.1%) had abdominal signs present on examination. FAST ultrasound was done on 75 (46.9%) patients and CT scan abdomen on 145 (90.6 %) patients. Liver injuries were associated with other abdominal or systemic injuries in 139 (86.6%) patients. Low grade (Grade I & II) liver injuries were found in only 41 (25.6%) patients, with the remainder being high grade (Grade III- 41 patients, Grade IV-42 patients and Grade V-2 patients). Conservative treatment was offered to 68 (41.9%) patients, of which 57 (85.1%) remained stable and were eventually discharged. Of these, 2 expired and 3 required intervention. There were a total of 92 (57.2%) interventions done of which 60 patients were cured, 14 expired and 18 readmitted. Interventions included perihepatic packing (n=18), hepatorraphy (n=3), angioembolization (n=12) and hepatectomy (n=1). There were 16(10%) deaths in which liver haemorrhage and sepsis were the most common cause of mortality. Mean hospital stay in our study population was 8.9 days. Second admission was observed in 28 (17.5%) patients (n=28). Morbidity rate in our patients was 17.5% (n=28). The most common complication noted was that of a liver abscess, developing in 2 (1.3%) patients. Other significant problems were intra-abdominal collections (n=2) and biliary complications (n=3). Unstable haemodynamic status at arrival and prolonged stay in high dependency unit were noted to be independent risk factors for mortality., Conclusions: Conservative treatment was found successful in most of our patients with an intervention rate of 57.5% and overall mortality rate of 10%. So, NOMLI can be safely offered to liver trauma patients, even in high grade injuries.

Treatment of solitary cholangiogenic liver abscesses is considered in the article. Successful treatment of cholangiogenic liver abscess with hybrid technologies is reported. The authors conclude that restoration of bile outflow is essential for fast elimination of the abscess.

Objective The usefulness of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) for making decisions in the treatment of liver abscess is unknown. Methods We evaluated the internal blood flow in the arterial-predominant phase by CEUS using Sonazoid ® in 21 patients. The stain area rate was evaluated in maximum parting plane of abscess in CEUS. Patients were divided into two groups: the vascular phase enhancement (VE) group, in which ≥50% of the abscess cavity was enhanced (12 patients), and the vascular phase non-enhancement (VNE) group, in which <50% of the abscess cavity was enhanced (9 patients). The rate of patients who were cured by conservative treatment alone was examined in both groups. The defect rate of all liver abscesses in the post-vascular phase was also evaluated. Results In the VE group, improvement by conservative treatment alone was obtained in 11 out of 12 patients (91.7%), while in the VNE group, improvement by conservative treatment alone was obtained in only 1 out of 9 patients (11.1%), a significant difference (p<0.001). In the VE group, one patient did not improve with conservative treatment alone because the abscess ruptured near the liver surface. In the VE group, the abscess size was smaller than in the VNE group. By examining the defect rate in the post-vascular phase, it was found that 16 out of 21 patients (76.2%) showed 71% or more defects. Conclusion The enhancement rate in the arterial-predominant phase of CEUS was considered useful for determining the treatment approach for liver abscess.

Introduction: Liver abscesses are mainly caused by parasitic or bacterial infection and are an important cause of hospitalization in low-middle income countries (LMIC). The pathophysiology of abscesses is different depending on the etiology and requires different strategies for diagnosis and management. This paper discusses pathophysiology and epidemiology, the current diagnostic approach and its limitations and management of liver abscess in low resource settings., Sources of Data: We searched PubMed for relevant reviews by typing the following keywords: 'amoebic liver abscess' and 'pyogenic liver abscess'., Areas of Agreement: Amoebic liver abscess can be treated medically while pyogenic liver abscess usually needs to be percutaneously drained and treated with effective antibiotics., Areas of Controversy: In an LMIC setting, where misuse of antibiotics is a recognized issue, liver abscesses are a therapeutic conundrum, leaving little choices for treatment for physicians in low capacity settings., Growing Points: As antimicrobial resistance awareness and antibiotic stewardship programs are put into place, liver abscess management will likely improve in LMICs provided that systematic adapted guidelines are established and practiced., Areas Timely for Developing Research: The lack of a quick and reliable diagnostic strategy in the majority of LMIC makes selection of appropriate treatment challenging., (© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Dialister pneumosintes is an obligate anaerobic Gram-negative rod associated with infections of the oral cavity. We report on a previously healthy, 51-year-old woman who presented with a liver abscess caused by Dialister pneumosintes as a complication of a dental abscess. The microorganism was identified by using a broad-range bacterial 16S rRNA gene PCR in the liver exudate. The patient was cured after abscess drainage and 4-week antibiotic treatment. Our case highlights the importance of a good history and physical examination when taking care of patients admitted for pyogenic liver abscess., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of multifocal hepatic abscesses in a young immunocompetent adult from India, which was successfully treated with hepatectomy and short course of oral antibiotic regimen. Publishing further such case reports will provide more clarity regarding the clinical significance of the disease, including associated risk factors and appropriate treatment., Competing Interests: None

Introduction: Hepatic abscess can be defined as an encapsulated collection of suppurative material within the liver parenchyma. Hepatic abscess can be distinguished as pyogenic, amebic, or fungal. Biliary tract disease remains the most common cause of hepatic abscess today, and the most common complications range from pleural effusion, empyema, and bronchohepatic fistula to subphrenic abscess and rupture into the peritoneal cavity, stomach, colon, vena cava, or kidney. A large abscess compressing the inferior vena cava and the hepatic veins may result in Budd-Chiari syndrome. In this report, we present a rare case of hepatic abscess with an unusual evolution that was treated with a noninvasive approach., Case Presentation: A 79-year-old Caucasian woman underwent endoscopic bile stone extraction and laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Six months later, a hepatic abscess in association with bilateral effusion was diagnosed. The prompt imaging-guided drainage solved the case. Three years later, she came to our attention complaining of dull, diffuse abdominal pain and high body temperature (38 °C). A retroperitoneal abscess was diagnosed that was spreading to the right lateral wall of the abdomen and extending across the muscular wall to the subcutaneous layer. The fluid collection also involved the right pleural cavity, forming an empyema. Also in this case, an imaging-guided drainage was performed, and the patient's clinical picture resolved in a few days. The retroperitoneal abscess recurred 14 months later, and it was dealt with using the same treatment. Three months from the last follow-up, the patient came back to our attention with an evident swelling of her right lumbar region. Computed tomography revealed a right inferior lumbar hernia comprising adipose tissue and the right kidney. A surgical intervention was recommended to the patient, but, owing to her poor general health, she refused any invasive approach., Conclusions: Retroperitoneal abscess is an uncommon complication of biliary tract surgery and represents a potential cause of death, especially in those patients with multiple diseases. Prompt drainage is crucial to the treatment. Failure in eliminating the primary infective focus could bring complications and, in general, a weakness of lumbar muscular wall, even resulting in a rare case of lumbar hernia.

Liver abscesses in feedlot cattle form secondary to high concentrate feeds and rumen acidosis. Antimicrobial drugs are commonly included in cattle feed for prevention of liver abscesses, but concerns regarding antimicrobial resistance have increased the need for alternative treatments. A block randomized clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product (SCFP) on liver abscesses, fecal microbiomes, and resistomes in cattle raised without antibiotics in a Colorado feedlot. At enrollment, steers (n = 4,689) were sorted, by weight and source, into 2 pens comprising a block (n = 14 blocks, 28 pens); pens were randomly allocated to either the control group or the treatment group, where the diet was supplemented with SCFP. Prior to harvest, composited feces were collected for characterization of the microbiome and resistome using 16S rRNA gene and shotgun sequencing. At harvest, liver abscess severity was quantified for individual cattle. There were no statistical differences detected by treatment group in animal health, liver abscess prevalence or severity. Organisms classified to phylum, Elusimicrobia were more abundant in the feces of treated cattle, however, there were no differences in the resistome by treatment group. Both microbiome and resistome varied significantly among enrollment blocks.

Rationale: Pneumocardia and septic pulmonary embolism are uncommon complications of Klebsiella pneumoniae primary liver abscess (KPLA); however, they may lead to a poor clinical outcome., Patient Concerns: A 67-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with fever, chills, cough, and dyspnea for 4 days. She had a previous history of diabetes mellitus., Diagnoses: The chest computed tomography (CT) revealed multiple peripheral nodules in both lungs and wedge-shaped peripheral infiltrative lesions abutting the pleura, suggestive of septic pulmonary embolism. An abdominal CT on the following day showed a large liver abscess without gas formation and pneumocardia of the right ventricle., Interventions: After the antibiotic therapy of intravenous imipenem and drainage of the liver abscess, our patient made a complete recovery., Outcomes: The patient was discharged on the 25th hospital day after full recovery and was doing well on follow-up at 10 months., Lessons: KPLA is potentially fatal due to the associated serious metastatic complications. Attention must be paid not only to the primary focus of infection but also to infection of other organs. It is important to detect to diagnose the spread of infection accurately, in a timely manner, to improve the prognosis of this condition.

An oral infection harboring Fusobacterium species can gain entrance to the liver via hematogenous spread in the form of septic embolus, and can thereby cause abscesses. Such spread, described as Lemierre syndrome, is life threatening. We present such a case history of a man in his mid-40s, who presented with infection and Fusobacterium liver abscess with an acute fulminant disease course. The initial diagnosis was arrived at by ultrasound imaging and blood investigations. He was treated with antibiotics, ultrasound-guided liver abscess drainage, and extraction of the infected molar tooth. He was discharged 6 weeks after admission. To date, there have been no reports describing the ultrasound images of a Fusobacterium liver abscess in detail. Hence, we herein present the ultrasound images of a Fusobacterium liver abscess.