[Hepatic amebiasis: an unusual clinical presentation].
BACKGROUND
Painful liver enlargement with fever are common signs of hepatic ambiasis. Exceptionally, atypical signs may also occur including symptoms suggesting renal sepsis.


METHODS
An 18-year-old woman from the New Caledonia was hospitalized in metropolitan France for suspected right-sided acute pyelonephritis. Urinalysis was normal and the kidney ultrasound suggested the need for an abdominal CT-scan which evidenced a voluminous 10-cm abscess pus. Serology for amebia was positive, confirming the diagnosis of hepatic amebic abscess. Outcome was rapidly favorable with intravenous anti-parasite treatment amebic abscess. Outcome was rapidly favorable with intravenous anti-parasite treatment and percutaneous drainage.


CONCLUSIONS
Atypical signs of hepatic ambiasis may mislead diagnosis. The absence of a fetid odor at puncture helps guide diagnosis, confirmed by serology. Percutaneous drainage can hbe proposed for voluminous abscesses or if the risk of extrahepatic complications is eminent.
Sembach
N
N
Service des Urgences médicales, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière Paris.
Levy
A
A
Cadoche
G
G
Masmoudi
R
R
Davido
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000563:Amebicides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008101:Liver Abscess, Amebic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009510:New Caledonia / Q000208:ethnology; D010297:Paris; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D000563:Amebicides; D008795:Metronidazole
Amibiase hépatique: une présentation clinique inhabituelle.