Here we report a case of 41-year-old man with a soft tissue density mass at right upper lung and palpable abscesses at right upper backside and right wrist. ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography demonstrated a 7.8 × 5.0 cm mass with soft-tissue density in the upper lobe of the right lung with high metabolic activity. The infiltrative mass extended to adjacent chest wall soft tissue. Final diagnosis of pulmonary actinomycosis with multiple abscesses was made. The patient responded well to antibiotics treatment.
Abscess ; Actinomycosis/*diagnosis/drug therapy/microbiology ; Adult ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18/chemistry ; Humans ; Lung Diseases/*diagnosis/drug therapy/microbiology ; Lung Neoplasms/pathology ; Male ; *Positron-Emission Tomography ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Primary hepatic actinomycosis is one of the chronic abscess-forming infections of the liver. Accurate diagnosis is frequently delayed due to its indolent course and nonspecific clinical and radiological manifestations. We report a case of a 57-year-old man presenting with asymptomatic multiple hepatic masses on follow-up abdominal computed tomography performed 1 year after stomach cancer surgery. Although a percutaneous liver biopsy procedure was conducted twice in order to obtain confirmative pathology, only a nonspecific organizing abscess with plasma cell infiltration was revealed, without identification of any organism in the tissue cultures. Ultimately, actinomycosis was diagnosed following the detection of sulfur granules on open surgical biopsied tissue. This case suggests that primary hepatic actinomycosis should be considered as one of the possible causes for enigmatic inflammatory lesions of the liver.
Actinomycosis/*diagnosis/drug therapy/microbiology ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use ; Biopsy, Needle ; Humans ; Liver Abscess/complications ; Liver Diseases/*diagnosis/microbiology/pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Incidence of pyogenic liver abscess (PLA) has been increasing worldwide, especially in the elderly population. Therefore, the aim of this study is to elucidate the clinical features and outcomes of PLA in elderly patients. METHODS: A total of 602 patients diagnosed with PLA from January 2003 to January 2013 were analyzed retrospectively. The patients were divided according to two age groups; > or =65 years (n=296) and <65 years (n=306). RESULTS: The mean age was 73.59+/-5.98 (range, 65-93) years in the elderly group. Significantly higher incidence of females (52.4% vs. 29.1%, p<0.001), hepatobiliary disease (41.2% vs. 24.8%, p<0.001), hepatobiliary procedure (29.4% vs. 13.7%, p<0.001), underlying malignancy (18.2% vs. 4.6%, p<0.001), culture positivity of resistant organism (20.6% vs. 14.4%, p=0.047), occurrence of complication (19.6% vs. 12.8%, p=0.026), and higher white blood cell (13.44+/-6.56 vs. 12.26+/-5.89, p=0.021), but lower rates of right lobe abscess (67.2% vs. 80.4%, p<0.001), fever (68.6% vs. 79.3%, p=0.003), and lower CRP (16.79+/-9.67 vs. 18.80+/-9.86, p=0.012) was observed in elderly PLA patients, compared to younger patients. Regarding complications, elderly patients had higher incidence of septic shock (8.1% vs. 2.3%, p=0.001) and cardiovascular disease (2% vs. 0%, p=0.014). CONCLUSIONS: More atypical presentations and complications tend to occur in elderly PLA patients compared with younger patients. Clinicians should be aware of these age-related differences in PLA and devise management strategies accordingly.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use ; Cardiovascular Diseases/epidemiology/etiology ; Child ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; Escherichia coli/isolation & purification ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Klebsiella pneumoniae/isolation & purification ; Leukocyte Count ; Liver Abscess, Pyogenic/*drug therapy/epidemiology/microbiology/*pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Sex Factors ; Shock, Septic/epidemiology/etiology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVEGroup A β-hemolytic streptococcus (GAS) or Streptococcus pyogenes may be encountered in diverse clinical situations in children. A rising incidence of invasive group A streptococcus (IGAS) infections has been noted in children in the past three decades. The aim of this study was to summarize the clinical characteristics and antimicrobial resistance of IGAS in children, and to raise the level of diagnosis and treatment of this infection.

METHODThe clinical data from 19 cases of IGAS younger than 14 years old seen from January 2004 to December 2011 treated in the authors' hospital were analyzed. IGAS infections are defined as the isolation of GAS from a normally sterile site in patients.

RESULTThe 19 cases were identified as IGAS infections, among whom 15 were male and 4 were female, and the ratio of them was 3.75. The age ranged from 1 day to 14 years, with a median age of 4 years. The course of disease was 4 h-10 days. The average length of stay was 12.2 days. In 13 cases the episodes of the infection occurred in winter and spring. In 18 cases the infection was community-acquired. Overall, 10 cases had neck or foot dorsum abscess, four cases had purulent peritonitis, and 3 cases were diagnosed as streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) complicated with empyema, pyopneumothorax occurred in 1 case and neonatal septicemia in another. Three cases had an underlying disease, including 2 cases wounded in a car accident and 1 case of congenital esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula. Before the isolation of GAS, 5 cases had stayed in ICUs, the length of ICU stay was 1-32 days, 4 cases had received intubation and mechanical ventilation, the ventilation time was 8 h-24 days, 2 cases had received major surgery; 5 cases had other pathogen coinfection, including 4 cases of abdominal pus at the same time and Escherichia coli was isolated, and 1 case had parainfluenza virus type I coinfection. Peripheral blood leucocyte increased in 18 cases, one case dropped off. The C-reactive protein (CRP) levels increased in all patients, including 16 cases who had 14-160 mg/L, 3 cases had levels higher than 160 mg/L. Twenty strains of GAS were isolated from 19 cases' sterile sites, of them 10 strains were isolated from abscess, 4 strains were isolated from blood and another 4 from ascites. Two strains were from the same patient at different times of pleural effusion. All 20 strains displayed a full susceptibility to cefazolin, levofloxacin and vancomycin, and the rates of resistance to both cefotaxime and penicillin were 10.0%. The rates of resistance to erythromycin and clindamycin were 55.0% and 70.0% respectively. Among the patients 3 cases were cured, 14 cases improved, and 2 cases died, of whom 1 case died of STSS secondary to multiple organ dysfunction, 1 case died of basic disease secondary to multiple organ dysfunction.

CONCLUSIONSkin and soft tissues were the most common IGAS infection sites in children, and IGAS infection also can lead to serious STSS and even can be life threatening. Penicillin and cephalosporin are still sensitive for children IGAS infections.

Abscess ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; Adolescent ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Cephalosporins ; therapeutic use ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Clindamycin ; therapeutic use ; Community-Acquired Infections ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Retrospective Studies ; Soft Tissue Infections ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; Streptococcal Infections ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; Streptococcus pyogenes ; drug effects ; isolation & purification

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a critical global health issue and the third most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The majority of patients who present HCC are already at an advanced stage and their tumors are unresectable. Sorafenib is a multi-kinase inhibitor of the vascular endothelial growth factor pathway and was recently introduced as a therapy for advanced HCC. Furthermore, studies have shown that oral sorafenib has beneficial effects on survival. However, many patients experience diverse side effects, and some of these are severe. Liver abscess development has not been previously documented to be associated with sorafenib administration in HCC. Here, we report the case of a HCC patient that developed a liver abscess while being treated with sorafenib.
Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Agents/adverse effects/*therapeutic use ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/*drug therapy/radiography ; Clostridium/isolation & purification ; Clostridium Infections/drug therapy/microbiology ; Humans ; Liver Abscess/etiology/*microbiology ; Liver Neoplasms/*drug therapy/radiography ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Niacinamide/adverse effects/*analogs & derivatives/therapeutic use ; Phenylurea Compounds/adverse effects/*therapeutic use ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

An infective aetiology, including fungal infection, should be considered in the differential diagnosis of immunocompromised patients presenting with skin lesions. Dematiaceous fungi are recognised as pathogens in organ transplant recipients. Herein, we describe a rare case of a chronic necrotising granulomatous skin lesion caused by Pyrenochaeta romeroi in a renal transplant recipient, and review the existing literature on the topic. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of such a case in Singapore. Recognition of infections caused by dematiaceous fungi is important because some strains are difficult to identify and require special molecular diagnostic techniques. Treatment involves surgical excision and long-term antifungal therapy. Data on the optimal antifungal regimen in such a diagnosis is limited.
Abscess ; microbiology ; Antifungal Agents ; therapeutic use ; Ascomycota ; Fatal Outcome ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; complications ; therapy ; Kidney Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Male ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Middle Aged ; Mitosporic Fungi ; Mycoses ; complications ; drug therapy ; Myocardial Infarction ; complications ; Postoperative Complications ; Singapore ; Transplant Recipients ; Treatment Outcome

Tuberculous liver abscesses are rare. Paradoxical response in tuberculosis is common and occurred between 2 weeks and 12 weeks after anti-tuberculous medication. We report here a case of tuberculous liver abscess that developed in a paradoxical response during chemotherapy for tuberculous peritonitis in a 23-year-old male. He was hospitalized, complaining of ascites, epigastric pain. He was diagnosed tuberculous peritonitis by expiratory laparoscopic biopsy and took medication for tuberculosis. After 2 months, a hepatic lesion was detected with CT scan incidentally. Chronic granulomatous inflammation was seen in ultrasound-guided liver biopsy, and tuberculous liver abscess was diasnosed. It was considered as paradoxical response, rather than treatment failure or other else because clinical symptoms of peritoneal tuberculosis and CT scan improved. After continuing initial anti-tuberculous medication, he was successfully treated. Herein, we report a case of tuberculous liver abscess as paradoxical response while treating peritoneal tuberculosis without changing anti-tuberculous treatment regimen.
Antitubercular Agents/*adverse effects/*therapeutic use ; DNA, Bacterial/analysis ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Liver/pathology/ultrasonography ; Liver Abscess/*chemically induced/*diagnosis/microbiology ; Male ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis/genetics/isolation & purification ; Necrosis/pathology ; Peritoneum/pathology ; Peritonitis, Tuberculous/*drug therapy ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Tuberculosis/*diagnosis/microbiology ; Young Adult

Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is one of the most effective therapies for unresectable hepatocelluar carcinoma or metastatic hypervascular tumors. Abscess occurring in the other organs beside the liver after TACE is a complication that often occurs, sometimes potentially fatal. We report a case of spinal epidural abscess occurred after liver abscess complicated by TACE in a patient with metastatic neuroendocrine tumors to the liver. A 67-year-old female underwent TACE first for the metastatic lesions to liver, with a history of pancreatoduodenectomy for the primary pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor. Four days after TACE, sudden high fever occurred, and liver abscess was found on abdominal CT. Two days later, back pain and radiating pain to the right leg occurred, and lumbar spine MRI showed spinal epidural abscess. After intravenous antibiotics for 8 weeks and partial laminectomy, the patient recovered and was discharged without complications.
Aged ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/secondary/*therapy ; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic/*adverse effects ; Epidural Abscess/*etiology/microbiology/surgery ; Escherichia coli/isolation & purification ; Escherichia coli Infections/drug therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Laminectomy ; Liver Abscess/*etiology ; Liver Neoplasms/secondary/*therapy ; Lumbar Vertebrae/microbiology/radiography ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neuroendocrine Tumors/pathology/surgery ; Pancreaticoduodenectomy ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

No abstract available.
Antitoxins/*therapeutic use ; Clostridium perfringens/*pathogenicity ; Hemolysis ; Humans ; Immunologic Factors/*therapeutic use ; Liver Abscess/*drug therapy/microbiology

The authors report a caruncular abscess caused by actinomycosis. A 47-year-old woman was admitted with persistent purulent discharge from the caruncle of the left eye for a duration of six months. Excisional drainage was performed, and 'sulfur granules' were observed, consistent with actinomyces infection. Intraoperative lacrimal probing and irrigation were performed to confirm that the abscess and canaliculus were not connected. Oral and topical antibiotics were administered postoperatively; the lesion resolved with no evidence of recurrence, and the symptom improved.
Abscess/drug therapy/*microbiology ; Actinomycosis/*diagnosis/drug therapy ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Lacrimal Apparatus Diseases/drug therapy/*microbiology ; Middle Aged