Journal of medical microbiology
-
Case Reports
Clostridium clostridioforme liver abscess complicated by portal vein thrombosis in childhood.
Pyogenic liver abscesses are rare in children, and show geographical differences in their epidemiology. Mortality rates remain high at 15 %. Liver abscesses caused by anaerobic organisms are rare in a paediatric setting, even more so when complicated by portal vein thrombosis (PVT). ⋯ The liver abscess in our patient displayed a particularly aggressive clinical course with extension of the abscess to involve the upper pole of the right kidney and the appendix, which was further complicated by PVT. The role of anaerobic organisms in liver abscesses has been underreported in the past. This case, therefore, highlights the importance of incubating biological samples in anaerobic conditions in order to adequately isolate and identify anaerobic bacteria, particularly those associated with abscesses.