MULTIPLE HEPATIC-ABSCESSES DUE TO YERSINIA-ENTEROCOLITICA

We report a case of multiple hepatic abscesses due to Yersinia enteroc olitica in a 58 yr old male. This case is typical of the other 39 case s reported in the literature in that the patient had alcoholism, malnu trition, iron overload and a subsequently diagnosed malignancy. Ultras ound showed multiple hypoechoic areas in the liver which were confirme d by CT scan. The patient also had a rectal lesion initially thought t o be malignant, leading to a presumptive diagnosis of metastatic disea se, A CT-guided line needle aspiration biopsy of a liver lesion unexpe ctedly revealed pus which subsequently grew Yersinia enterocolitica. T he organism was also isolated from the patient's blood and feces. This case illustrates the need for histological and microbiological invest igation of radiologically diagnosed presumptive malignancy.