Percutaneous drainage may be an alternative, but only in selected patients, to preserve splenic functions. However, splenectomy remains the first line of treatment.17 Giant splenic abscess may complicate Salmonella infection, even in young immunocompetent travelers with likely preexisting splenic abnormality. Treatment always involves association of surgery (splenectomy or needle aspiration) and appropriate antibiotherapy. The authors thank Jessica Saint-Pierre for editorial assistance. The authors state that they have no conflicts of interest to declare. “
“Extensive venous thrombosis is usually seen postmortem in amebic liver abscess
because of its dismal prognosis. Herein, we describe amebic liver abscess, whose late diagnosis led to multiple deep
thromboses, PTC124 chemical structure pulmonary embolism, and right atrial thrombosis, in this patient with patent foramen ovale. A 23-year-old man, originally from Sri Lanka and living in France for 2 years, consulted in our emergency department for a 1-month history of fever and night sweats, non-productive cough, dyspnea, and involuntary weight loss of 10 kg. He had no remarkable medical history Selleck DZNeP but one of his roommates had recently been treated for tuberculosis. He was febrile (temperature 39°C), with normal blood pressure (120/80 mm Hg) and heart rate (120 beats/min). Physical examination was normal. He had no abdominal pain. Chest radiograph findings were unremarkable. Laboratory investigations showed mild hyponatremia, a leukocyte count of 18,300 cells/mm3 with 84% neutrophils. The C-reactive protein level was 274 mg/L but hepatic test results were abnormal, with liver enzyme (alkaline phosphatase and γ-glutamyltransferase) levels twofold higher than normal values. Two sets of blood cultures were negative. He was initially isolated for suspected tuberculosis and also given empirical Urease amoxicillin and erythromycin. Sputum smears were negative. Because of sustained dyspnea and fever, contrast-medium chest computed tomography scans were obtained
for suspected pulmonary embolism. Images showed a large thick-walled liver abscess (diameter 6.5 cm) located in the hepatic dome, a mild pleural effusion on the right, and inferior vena cava thrombosis (Figure 1A), and a large pulmonary embolism (Figure 1B) and right atrial thrombosis. Hepatic ultrasonography confirmed the presence of an abscess of heterogeneous, compartmentalized appearance, suggestive of a hydatid cyst. Transthoracic echocardiography confirmed the atrial thrombosis (Figure 1C) in the interatrial septum, associated with abnormal color Doppler flow, corresponding to a patent foramen ovale; systolic pulmonary artery pressure was evaluated at 38 mm Hg. The patient refused transesophageal echocardiography. Cerebral magnetic resonance imaging ordered because of recent-onset headaches was normal. Doppler ultrasonography of the lower extremities was normal and he had no underlying comorbidity predisposing to venous thrombosis.