An unrecognized etiology for pyogenic hepatic abscesses in normal hosts: dental disease

Cryptogenic pyogenic hepatic abscesses are a diagnosis of exclusion. We have identified two patients with severe dental disease at the time of the diagnosis of their liver abscess. In both cases, oral flora was cultured from the abscess. Unlike a previous report, both patients were immunocompetent. When compared with a group of patients with liver abscesses and diverticulitis, two differences were found. In contrast to the single abscesses seen in 10 of 10 patients with diverticulitis, the patients with dental disease had multiple abscesses (p < 0.02). In addition, Fusobacterium nucleatum was cultured from both dental disease associated abscesses but only one of the diverticulitis associated liver abscesses (p < 0.05). If a liver abscess is thought to be cryptogenic, a thorough dental exam is recommended.