Pyogenic liver abscess involving Actinomyces: case report and review

We report a case of isolated hepatic actinomycosis and review 35 previously reported cases. Three-fourths of the reported patients were male, and more than one-half were between 30 and 50 years of age. Although some patients had oral disease or intraabdominal infections, the majority of cases were cryptogenic. Common presenting symptoms included fever, abdominal pain, and anorexia with weight loss. Findings on physical examination included pyrexia, abdominal tenderness, and hepatomegaly. Leukocytosis with a left shift, anemia, an elevated serum erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and an elevated level of alkaline phosphatase were almost universally present. Diagnosis was frequently made at the time of exploratory laparotomy, but percutaneous diagnostic procedures obviated the need for surgery in many recent cases. Microbiological diagnosis involved visualization of branching gram-positive Actinomyces organisms or recovery of organisms in anaerobic culture. Treatment most commonly consisted of prolonged administration of penicillin or tetracycline and was associated with an excellent outcome in the majority of cases.