Amebic liver abscess in a homosexual man.

A case report of a 36-year-old black homosexual man with right upper- and lower-quadrant abdominal pain is presented. When exploratory surgery for appendicitis was performed, an abscess, consistent with an amebic abscess, was encountered in the right lobe of the liver. This abscess was evacuated, and a drain was placed. A serum sample taken at the time of surgery showed high titers of antibody to Entamoeba histolytica; metronidazole therapy was instituted, and the patient made an uneventful recovery. Since amebiasis is epidemic in the gay community, health care personnel should be aware of the various modes of transmission, as well as of the diagnoses, optimal management, and indications for surgery in patients with amebic liver abscess. It is noted that amebic liver abscess appears to be a less frequent complication of amebiasis among the male homosexual population than among other groups.