Etiology and Clinicopathological Evaluation of Liver Abscess; A Prospective Study From a Tertiary Hospital Centre

ABSTRACT

Background: Liver abscess is defined as collection of purulent material in liver parenchyma which can be due to bacterial, parasitic, fungal, or mixed infection. Liver abscess are categorized into various types based on etiology, of which Amoebic Liver Abscess and Pyogenic Liver Abscess are major types. Common presenting complains of liver abscess are abdominal pain, fever, and weight loss. Most of the amoebic liver abscesses are typically right lobe solitary abscess. Majority of patients are young alcoholic male of lower socioeconomic class. Methods: 60 patients of liver abscess were studied for etiology and clinicopathological evaluation. Results: Out of total 60 cases studied, 47 (78.34%) patients had amoebic liver abscess in which 41 (68.33%) patients had primary amoebic liver abscess with positive amoebic serology and rest 6 (10%) cases had amoebic liver abscess with secondary bacterial infection in which amoebic serology and pus culture both were positive. 11 (18.33%) patients had pyogenic liver abscess in which only pus culture was positive and amoebic serology was negative. Rest 2 (3.33%) patients had abscess of indeterminate etiology in which amoebic serology and pus culture both were negative. Conclusion: Majority of patients of liver abscesses studied were amoebic in nature with positive amoebic serology.