Skip to main content
British Medical Journal (Clinical Research Ed.) logoLink to British Medical Journal (Clinical Research Ed.)
. 1981 Sep 26;283(6295):819–821. doi: 10.1136/bmj.283.6295.819

Microbiology of pyogenic liver abscess.

J C Moore-Gillon, S J Eykyn, I Phillips
PMCID: PMC1507072  PMID: 6794712

Abstract

Sixteen patients with pyogenic liver abscesses were studied over 10 years to discover the causative organisms of the condition. Pus was subjected to Gram-negative smear or gas-liquid chromatography to detect volatile acids characteristic of anaerobes and then cultured. All isolates were identified by conventional methods and tested for sensitivity to appropriate antimicrobial agents. Bacteria were grown from the liver abscesses in all 16 patients. Streptococcus milleri Lancefield group F was the commonest organism isolated from the pyogenic liver abscesses, being found in 13 patients. If Strep milleri is isolated care should be taken not to mistake it for an anaerobe, and finding the organism in the blood should alert the clinician to the possible presence of a liver abscesses.

Full text

PDF
819

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. BLOCK M. A., SCHUMAN B. M., EYLER W. R., TRUANT J. P., DUSAULT L. A. SURGERY OF LIVER ABSCESSES. USE OF NEWER TECHNIQUES TO REDUCE MORTALITY. Arch Surg. 1964 Apr;88:602–610. doi: 10.1001/archsurg.1964.01310220092015. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Barbour G. L., Juniper K., Jr A clinical comparison of amebic and pyogenic abscess of the liver in sixty-six patients. Am J Med. 1972 Sep;53(3):323–334. doi: 10.1016/0002-9343(72)90175-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bateman N. T., Eykyn S. J., Phillips I. Pyogenic liver abscess caused by Streptococcus milleri. Lancet. 1975 Mar 22;1(7908):657–659. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(75)91760-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. GUTHOF O. Ueber pathogene vergrünende Streptokokken; Streptokokken-Befunde bei dentogenen Abszessen und Infiltraten im Bereich der Mundhöhle. Zentralbl Bakteriol Orig. 1956 Sep;166(7-8):553–564. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Kraulis J. E., Bird B. L., Colapinto N. D. Percutaneous catheter drainage of liver abscess: an alternative to open drainage? Br J Surg. 1980 Jun;67(6):400–402. doi: 10.1002/bjs.1800670606. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. McFADZEAN A. J., CHANG K. P., WONG C. C. Solitary pyogenic abscess of the liver treated by closed aspiration and antibiotics; a report of 14 consecutive cases with recovery. Br J Surg. 1953 Sep;41(166):141–152. doi: 10.1002/bjs.18004116606. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. OTTENS H., WINKLER K. C. Indifferent and haemolytic streptococci possessing group-antigen F. J Gen Microbiol. 1962 Apr;28:181–191. doi: 10.1099/00221287-28-1-181. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. PYRTEK L. J., BARTUS S. A. HEPATIC PYEMIA. N Engl J Med. 1965 Mar 18;272:551–554. doi: 10.1056/NEJM196503182721102. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Parker M. T., Ball L. C. Streptococci and aerococci associated with systemic infection in man. J Med Microbiol. 1976 Aug;9(3):275–302. doi: 10.1099/00222615-9-3-275. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Patterson D. K., Ozeran R. S., Glantz G. J., Miller A. B., Finegold S. M. Pyogenic liver abscess due to microaerophilic streptococci. Ann Surg. 1967 Mar;165(3):362–376. doi: 10.1097/00000658-196703000-00005. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Perera M. R., Kirk A., Noone P. Presentation, diagnosis and management of liver abscess. Lancet. 1980 Sep 20;2(8195 Pt 1):629–632. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(80)90293-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Reid T. M., Davidson A. I. Letter: Streptococcus milleri liver abscesses. Lancet. 1976 Mar 20;1(7960):648–649. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(76)90465-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Rubin R. H., Swartz M. N., Malt R. Hepatic abscess: changes in clinical, bacteriologic and therapeutic aspects. Am J Med. 1974 Oct;57(4):601–610. doi: 10.1016/0002-9343(74)90012-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. SHERMAN J. D., ROBBINS S. L. Changing trends in the casuistics of hepatic abscess. Am J Med. 1960 Jun;28:943–950. doi: 10.1016/0002-9343(60)90203-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Satiani B., Davidson E. D. Hepatic abscesses: improvement in mortality with early diagnosis and treatment. Am J Surg. 1978 May;135(5):647–650. doi: 10.1016/0002-9610(78)90128-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Silver S., Weinstein A., Cooperman A. Changes in the pathogenesis and detection of intrahepatic abscess. Am J Surg. 1979 May;137(5):608–610. doi: 10.1016/0002-9610(79)90032-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Verlenden W. L., 3rd, Frey C. F. Management of liver abscess. Am J Surg. 1980 Jul;140(1):53–59. doi: 10.1016/0002-9610(80)90417-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Young A. E. The clinical presentation of pyogenic liver abscess. Br J Surg. 1976 Mar;63(3):216–219. doi: 10.1002/bjs.1800630313. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British Medical Journal (Clinical research ed.) are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES