LISTERIA-MONOCYTOGENES CAUSING SOLITARY LIVER-ABSCESS - CASE-REPORT AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

The authors report on a case of a solitary liver abscess due to Lister ia monocytogenes in a 53-year-old diabetic white male and review all p ublished cases of solitary listerial abscesses of the liver. L. monocy togenes is a rare cause of solitary liver abcess which occurs in elder ly patients with diabetes mellitus. The clinical signs are variable an d often mimic malignancy, with epigastric pain, night sweats and weigh t loss. Prevalent features are poor control of glycemia, temperature u p to 38.5 degrees C and elevated alkaline phosphatase. Optimal treatme nt includes percutaneous drainage of the hepatic abscess and antibioti c therapy with an aminopenicillin or trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. Ou tcome of the reviewed patients was favourable with no mortality and no relapse of the disease.