Concomitant and secondary bacterial infection of the pus in hepatic amoebiasis.

In a series of 48 consecutive patients with clinically diagnosed uncomplicated amoebic liver abscess (ALA), the pus obtained by closed drainage of the abscess was bacteriologically sterile. Secondary bacterial infection of the ALA as a direct result of the aspiration procedure occurred in only 1 patient, the causative organism being Escherichia coli. Entamoeba histolytica was identified in a total of 39 cases (81%) by means of direct microscopy of the pus as well as culture methods.