Three cases of amoebic liver abscess

We experienced three male cases of amoebic liver abscess. Of the three patients, one (23 years old) was revealed to be a homosexual man, one (40 years old) had a history of frequent oro-anal sexual contacts with commercial sex workers, and the third patient (47 years old) had often traveled in endemic areas in the Southeast Asia These patients were treated with metronidazole and responded well Generally, revelation of the transmission route of Entamoeba hystolytica possibly inhibits the spread of amoebic infection. However, it has become difficult to do so due to a legislation of personal data protection. Amoebic liver abscess had ever been regarded as a rare disease in Japan, until recent reports indicated an increasing number of the amoebic infection along with a spread of the diversification of sexual behavior involving homosexual ones, and increasing availability of traveling abroad. A lot of carriers of Entamoeba hystolytica may exist unnoticed in our community.