Characteristics of Liver Abscess in Department of Infectious Diseases at Fann Teaching University Hospital in Dakar, Senegal

Introduction: Abscesses of the liver are due to an infection of bacterial, parasitic or fungal origin. Through amoebiological imaging and serology, their diagnosis was facilitated. The aim of this study was to determine the epidemiological, clinical, diagnostic and evolutionary aspects of these liver abscesses at the Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases in Fann Teaching University Hospital. Patients and Methods: This was a retrospective and descriptive study, based on records of patients hospitalized for abscess of the liver over a period of 8 years, from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2015. Results: We collected 20 cases of abscesses including 12 cases of confirmed amoebic abscesses and 5 cases of pyogenic abscesses. The mean age of the patients was 43.15 ± 15.12 years. There were 18 men and 2 women. The average hospital stay was 32 days. The most common clinical signs were abdominal pain (100%), fever (75%), hepatomegaly (80%). A leukocytosis greater than 12,000 Gb/mm3 was found in 13 patients. The amoebic serology was positive in 71% of cases and negative in 29% of cases. No germ was isolated from the blood culture. On hepatic ultrasound the abscess was unique in 90%. Treatment was exclusively medical in 11 patients (55%). The trend was favorable in 85% of cases. Conclusion: The incidence of liver abscesses has significantly decreased. It is important to develop diagnostic tools better in the case of pyogenic abscesses.