OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical presentation of an atypical liver abscess in the pediatric setting and to conduct a review of the literature concerning ethiopathogenic differences between developed and developing countries. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 13-year-old male patient was admitted to the emergency room due to daily fever and weight loss, without abnormalities in his physical examination. After undergoing an investigation, the patient was found to have a well-defined heterogeneous nodular area in the abdominal ultrasonography exam, which was compatible with liver abscess. He was subsequently submitted to surgical drainage and started on antibiotics. The drainage material culture turned positive to methicillin-sensible Staphylococcus aureus. COMMENTS: The present case report shows that the pediatrician needs to be aware of the common causes of fever of unknown origin in order to systematically develop an investigative approach. In face of the diagnosis of a liver abscess, the possibility of Staphylococcus aureus, especially with a previous history of skin rupture, should be considered.
liver abscess; fever of unknown origin; Staphylococcus aureus
