AMEBIC LIVER-ABSCESS IN INFANCY - CASE-REPORT AND REVIEW

Amebic liver abscess (ALA) is uncommon in the United States and is pot entially lethal when acquired during the first year of life. The clini cal course of ALA in a 10-month-old infant is presented and the charac teristics of 18 previously described cases of infants with ALA from th e United States are reported; this infant population (including our pa tient) is compared with a population of adults with ALA. In contrast t o the initial signs in adults, those in infants are nonspecific and in clude fever, hepatomegaly, anemia, and elevated levels of transaminase s. Colitis may occur in infants, but results of examinations for ova o r parasites are usually negative. On presentation the amebic serology for one-third of infants with ALA is negative. The clinical course of ALA in infants is usually fulminant and is associated with a mortality rate of nearly 50%.