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Case Reports
. 2016 Dec 8;16(1):741.
doi: 10.1186/s12879-016-2093-y.

Amoebic liver abscess: an unusual cause for a right iliac fossa mass: a case report

Vithiya Ratnasamy  1 , Kumanan Thirunavukarasu  2 , Kannathasan Selvam  3 , Murugananthan Arumugam  3
Affiliations
Case Reports

Amoebic liver abscess: an unusual cause for a right iliac fossa mass: a case report

Vithiya Ratnasamy et al. BMC Infect Dis. .

Abstract

Background: Amoebic liver abscess is the most common extra intestinal manifestation of amoebiasis in tropical countries. It usually presents with right hypochondrial pain, fever and anorexia. Amoebic liver abscess has gained clinical significance due to the wide variety of clinical presentations which can cause diagnostic dilemmas and high mortality in untreated cases.

Case presentation: We report a case of a 63-year-old male with a history of anorexia for 3 weeks, fever for 4 days and examination findings of tender hepatomegaly with a liver span of 15 cm in the mid clavicular line and a firm irregular mass in the right iliac fossa. Ultrasound scan of the abdomen showed two large liver abscesses with one of them leaking into the peritoneal cavity causing a localized pus collection, which had been walled off in the right iliac fossa. He was treated with metronidazole and liver abscesses were drained percutaneously under ultrasound scan guidance. The diagnosis of Entamoeba histolytica infection was confirmed with the serology and subsequently by PCR from the aspirated material. He made an uneventful recovery with resolution of the symptoms and right iliac fossa mass.

Conclusion: Recognition of variable presentation of amoebic liver abscess is vital, considering the curable nature of this disease and potentially fatal outcome of untreated abscess. An intra-abdominal mass in a patient with amoebic liver abscess should raise the suspicion of a localized collection of pus and impending generalized peritonitis. Early diagnosis and prompt intervention can prevent the dreaded complication of peritonitis and toxemia, and hence reduce the consequent morbidity and mortality.

Keywords: Amoebiasis; Case report; Liver abscess; Peritonitis; Right iliac fossa mass.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
a right lobe liver abscess b left lobe abscess c localized collection in the right iliac fossa d liver abscess ruptured and leaking into the peritoneal cavity
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Results of nested PCR, amplified serine-rich protein coding gene (450 bps) of Entamoeba histolytica. L1: Positive control, L2: Left lobe Liver Abscess pus sample, L3: Negative control
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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