Serum ferritin in Nigerian patients with amoebic liver abscess and other tropical infections with liver involvement.

Serum ferritin was measured by immunoradiometric assay in 46 Nigerian patients with amoebic liver abscess and other tropical infections involving the liver, and the values were compared with those in 23 control subjects. Serum ferritin was markedly elevated in 100% of the patients with amoebic liver abscess, acute viral hepatitis and liver tuberculosis. Elevated values were observed in about 77% of patients with cirrhosis, 80% of malaria patients, and only about 30% of patients with early infection of schistosomiasis mansoni. The results support previous data indicating that significant changes in serum ferritin occur in acute and chronic liver disease. Assay of serum ferritin may be a useful complimentary liver function test for the diagnosis and monitoring the treatment provided in amoebic liver abscess.