A case of pyogenic liver abscesses in a previously healthy adolescent man.
An 18-year-old, previously healthy man admitted with abdominal pain, high-grade fevers, nausea and emesis was found to have multiple hepatic abscesses. Aspiration cultures grew Fusobacterium necrophorum, a rare bacterium causing potentially fatal liver abscesses in humans. Following sequential percutaneous drainages and narrowing of antibiotics, the patient was discharged on a 6-week antibiotic course and showed no signs of infection. A week after presentation it was discovered that he had experienced upper respiratory symptoms and sore throat prior to presentation. Because oropharyngeal infections are a potential source of bacteremia, they must be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with hepatic abscesses and no evidence of immunocompromise.
Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA dmentel20@gmail.com.
Dena A
DA
Mentel
Department of Surgery, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
Danielle B
DB
Cameron
Department of Surgery, Section of Trauma, Burns and Surgical Critical Care, Bridgeport Hospital, Bridgeport, CT, USA.
Shea C
SC
Gregg
Department of Surgery, Section of Trauma, Burns and Surgical Critical Care, Bridgeport Hospital, Bridgeport, CT, USA.
Walter
W
Cholewczynski
Department of Surgery, Section of Trauma, Burns and Surgical Critical Care, Bridgeport Hospital, Bridgeport, CT, USA.
Alisa
A
Savetamal
Department of Surgery, Section of Trauma, Burns and Surgical Critical Care, Bridgeport Hospital, Bridgeport, CT, USA.
Roselle E
RE
Crombie
Department of Surgery, Section of Trauma, Burns and Surgical Critical Care, Bridgeport Hospital, Bridgeport, CT, USA.
Paul P
PP
Possenti
Department of Surgery, Section of Trauma, Burns and Surgical Critical Care, Bridgeport Hospital, Bridgeport, CT, USA.
Nabil A
NA
Atweh