Pyogenic liver abscess

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Digestive system organs

Pyogenic abscess

Pyogenic liver abscess is a pus-filled area in the liver.

Liver abscess; Bacterial liver abscess

There are many potential causes of liver abscesses, including:

• Abdominal infection such as appendicitis, diverticulitis, or a perforated bowel
• Infection in the blood
• Infection of the bile draining tubes
• Recent endoscopy of the bile draining tubes
• Trauma that damages the liver

The most common bacteria that cause liver abscesses are:

• Bacteroides
• Enterococcus
• Escherichia coli
• Klebsiella
• Staphylococcus
• Streptococcus

In most cases, more than one type of bacteria is found.

Review Date: 09/15/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).

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