Liver abscess caused by Salmonella choleraesuis

Takashi Kamatani,1 Takemichi Okada,2 Hiroyoshi Iguchi,2 Yoshihito Takahashi,3 Hiroaki Yokomori1 1Department of Internal Medicine, 2Department of Radiology, 3Department of Surgery, Kitasato University Medical Center, Saitama, Japan Abstract: A 65-year-old man with long-term alcohol abuse presented with intermittent fever. Abdominal computed tomography revealed multiple masses. Abscess blood and pus cultures conducted after percutaneous catheter drainage with pigtail catheters yielded Salmonella choleraesuis. Antibiotic treatment with meropenem was started using multiple catheters in the liver. Drainage catheters in different locations were exchanged several times with larger-bored catheters. After septicemia was detected, abscesses spread to the peritoneal cavity. Pleural complications developed. Antibiotic treatment, with careful drainage guided by ultrasound or computed tomography, controlled the abscesses and complications. This report describes the difficult clinical course and treatment of a liver abscess from S. choleraesuis. Keywords: liver abscess, Salmonella choleraesuis, bacteremia, CT