Three Autochthonous Cases of Amoebic Liver Abscess Clustered in a Small Village of Tuscany (Central Italy), a Non-Endemic Area

Amebiasis is a rare condition in industrialised countries but is epidemiologically growing. Clinical manifestations may range from asymptomatic to invasive disease. An amebic abscess can be the result of extraintestinal amebiasis, and it is associated with relatively high morbidity and mortality. We present three indigenous cases of amoebic liver abscesses observed within a few weeks (October-November 2023) in patients living in a small area near Lucca in Tuscany, Central Italy. Fever accompanied by abdominal pain and liver abscess was observed in all three patients, and one of them presented necrotising colitis and pleural effusion, too. The parasitological diagnosis was performed by microscopy and confirmed with real-time PCR in liver abscess drainage fluid and stools.