title: Microbiology of liver abscesses and the predictive value of abscess gram stain and associated blood cultures.
abstract: Although rare, pyogenic liver abscesses are potentially fatal. We evaluated the predictive value of Gram stain of liver abscess aspirates and temporally associated blood cultures. Gram stains detected bacteria in 79% of the liver abscesses tested. The sensitivity and specificity of Gram stain of the liver abscesses were 90% and 100% for Gram-positive cocci (GPC) and 52% and 94% for Gram-negative bacilli (GNB). The sensitivities of the blood cultures for any GPC and GNB present in the liver abscess were 30% and 39%, respectively. Although, Gram stains and blood cultures offer incomplete detection of the microbial contents of pyogenic liver abscesses, both tests should always accompany liver abscess cultures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pathology, Section of Clinical Microbiology, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA. rfchemaly@mdanderson.org
authors.forename: Roy F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Chemaly
authors.forename: Gerri S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: Thomas F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Keys
authors.forename: Gary W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Procop
mesh_terms: D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000379:methods; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005840:Gentian Violet; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008100:Liver Abscess / Q000097:blood* / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D010619:Phenazines; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013048:Specimen Handling
chemical_list: C035863:Gram's stain; D010619:Phenazines; D005840:Gentian Violet