Amoebic Liver Abscess by Dr. O.P. Kapoor

A WORD FROM THE AUTHOR

Twenty years ago (1977) I wrote the script for my monograph - "Amoebic Liver Abscess". I am a General Phvsican and an Internist who became involved with this topic after I saw hundreds of patients die of this illness. My studies on this condition were centred in the autopsy room. The monograph was the result of these studies, and the urge to share my findings with the world. As far as I know, there has been no other monograph on this topic. Authors earlier who have written books on amoebiasis, have mainly covered intestinal amoebiasis and other peripheral conditions.

When I wrote this monograph, I was faced with a major problem - high printing costs. Publishers all over the world quoted high, because of the 270 colour photographs. I was very keen that my work should reach the whole world. Perseverance paid, and eventually it was printed in Bombay itself.

The book received rave reviews from the 'The Lancet’ and the ‘British Medical Journal'. However, due to financial constraints, it never reached libraries all over the world. The cost of printing has been increasing, making it impossible to consider even a second reprint. It was a matter of regret for me that the book was not widely available. Little did I realize then, that the Cyber World would come to my rescue; that I would be able to get the book up on an Internet website and my dream of world-wide availability would come true!

A second monograph on this topic is a remote possibility because of a marked reduction in the incidence of this illness and consequent lack of material to bring out one. On the other hand the utility of the monograph still exists. Different syndromes I have described on left lobe liver abscesses, multiple liver abscesses and rare presentation of USSSLLLALA syndrome will definitely be seen by some practitioners in rural areas or even in urban alcoholics in the countries where the disease is common.

I found no need to for a second printed edition of this book because the only new related development in the last 20 years has been that of CT Scan Imaging. In my monograph, I had already attached an addendum - "The role of sonography in the diagnosis and management of Amoebic Liver Abscess." C.T. Scan has not made any significant contribution to this subject.

Thus since the last 20 years, there has been no significant addition to what I had published. The Web Edition of my monograph brings with it 20 articles which I wrote subsequent to the publication of the printed edition.

I was happy to note that the Guest Editor of Bombay Hospital Journal who wrote a special issue on Amoebic Liver Abscess, has dedicated this book to me on the occasion of my 65th Birthday.