[Splenic abscesses. A case report and review of the literature]

This is a report of a case of a 3-year-old boy who developed splenic abscesses after a mild plantar wound. His initial complains were fever and several distal cutaneous abscesses (septic emboli). Multiple cultures for bacteria, fungi, mycobacterium and anaerobes were performed, but all were negative. In spite of an energetic antimicrobial treatment, he continued with high fever. Echocardiography was normal. Two weeks later, a thoracic radiography showed the left hemidiafragm was elevated and a small pleural effusion. An abdominal echosonography showed multiple hypoechoic splenic lesions, and this finding was confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging. After splenectomy, the patient healed and was discharged. Anatomopathological examination of the spleen showed eight pyogenic abscesses of different size. The causal agent was not isolated.