Epidemiology

Liver abscess is an uncommon disease. The annual incidence of liver abscess in the US is 3.6 per 100,000 and ranges from 8 to 20 cases per 100,000 hospital admissions in most series.[4][6]​​[7][8] The incidence increases with age, occurring slightly more often in men than in women.[3]​​[4][6]​​[9][10] Epidemiologic studies have shown that the incidence of liver abscess has been increasing while the mortality has been stable or decreasing.[6][9][10] The trend of increasing incidence may be due to the availability of more sensitive diagnostic tests than in the past (e.g., computed tomography scan) or the increasing prevalence of predisposing conditions.

The annual incidence of liver abscess may be higher in parts of Asia (e.g., approximately 15 cases per 100,000/year in Taiwan).[10] Most cases of amebic infections occur in Central and South America, Africa, and Asia.[11] Amebiasis (and subsequent amebic liver abscess) in the US is seen most commonly in immigrants and travelers from endemic areas, with approximately 3000 cases annually.[2][12][13]​​

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