Tubercular liver abscess in immuno-competent patients

J Assoc Physicians India. 2011 Aug:59:523-4.

Abstract

We report two cases, the first one a 35 years old male, chronic alcoholic, and the other, a 15 years old boy, who presented to us with fever, Rt. hypochondrial pain, with USG-Abdomen revealing multiple liver abscesses in the first, and a single large abscess in the second. Both patients showed leucocytosis and, mildly deranged Liver Function Tests. Aspirated pus was sterile, and the patients did not show any clinical improvement despite broad spectrum antibiotics and amoebicides. Re-aspiration of pus after two weeks revealed the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and both patients showed a dramatic improvement clinically after starting Anti-tubercular treatment. These cases are being reported because of the rarity of tubercular liver abscesses, and the importance of suspecting mycobacterial infection in patients of liver abscess not responding to conventional treatment.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Antitubercular Agents / therapeutic use
  • Drainage
  • Humans
  • Immunocompromised Host
  • Liver Abscess / diagnostic imaging*
  • Liver Abscess / drug therapy
  • Liver Abscess / microbiology*
  • Liver Function Tests
  • Male
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / isolation & purification*
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Tuberculosis, Hepatic / diagnosis*
  • Tuberculosis, Hepatic / drug therapy
  • Ultrasonography

Substances

  • Antitubercular Agents