Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess: an emerging problem in North America

Abstract

Background: Before the 1980s, Escherichia coli was the most common cause of pyogenic liver abscess, but more recently, Klebsiella pneumoniae has emerged as the most common organism in the United States and Taiwan.

Objective: Our goal is to present a case of K. pneumoniae liver abscess (KLA) and review the risk factors, presenting symptoms, complications, and treatment of this disease that is emerging in North America.

Case report: We present a patient who was found to have KLA complicated by bacteremia and sepsis.

Conclusions: Initially described in the Asian literature, KLA is an emerging problem in North America. We present this case to increase awareness among emergency physicians of the diagnosis, risk factors, potential complications-including bacteremia and disseminated infection-and treatment.