Solitary hepatic abscess in a one-year-old: A diagnostic reminder in unexplained fever — a case report from Southwestern Tanzania

A liver abscess (LA) is a pus-filled mass in the liver, arising from either direct hepatic injury or infection spreading from the gastrointestinal tract via the portal vein. LAs are classified as pyogenic, amoebic, and, less commonly, fungal or parasitic. Liver abscesses are rare in children under the age of two. Given that this diagnosis can be overlooked in this age group , we report a 1.5-year-old male who presented with a five-month history of fever and two weeks of abdominal distension, ultimately diagnosed with a solitary liver abscess. The patient underwent successful surgical drainage. Postoperative intravenous antibiotics followed by oral therapy led to full clinical recovery. This case underscores the importance of including liver abscess in the differential diagnosis of prolonged febrile illnesses, even in this rarely affected age group.