Pyogenic liver abscesses are infrequent in pediatric patients, although they are said to occur in debilitated children1 and in children with chronic granulomatous disease.2 We report here five cases of pyogenic liver abscess in previously healthy children, diagnosed in a period of nine months at the Hospital de Criança Conceição, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Report of Cases.—Case 1.—A 4-year-old boy with fever, lassitude, weight loss, and an upper respiratory tract infection of ten days' duration was admitted with mild abdominal distention and tender hepatomegaly (liver edge 9 cm below right costal margin). The chest roentgenogram showed a right lower lobe consolidation. The hemoglobin level was 8 g/dl; the WBC count, 12,000/cu mm, with rare myelocytes, 54% band cells, 26% segmented neutrophils, 5% eosinophils, and 14% lymphocytes. Serum transaminase levels were slightly altered: SGOT, 50 Sigma Frankel units (normal 8 to 40); SGPT 51 Sigma Frankel units (normal,