1. Liver Abscess

2. Incidence and Epidemiology
Liver – organ most subject to the development of abscesses
13% of total intraabdominal abscesses
48% of all visceral abscess
Mortality % of cases
most common causes of death include sepsis, multiorgan failure, and hepatic failure
No sexual predilection – males have poorer prognosis

3. Causes Solitary or multiple Arise from:
hematogenous spread of bacteria
local spread from contiguous sites of infection w/in the peritoneal cavity

4. Causes Disease of the biliary tract – most common
Appendicitis w/ rupture and subsequent spread
Pylephlebitis

5. Causes
The 3 major forms of liver abscess, classified by etiology, are as follows:
Pyogenic abscess, which is most often polymicrobial - Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae
Amebic abscess due to Entamoeba histolytica
Fungal abscess, most often due to Candida species