Hepatic abscess was studied in 21 established cases in Basrah hospitals (Southern Iraq) during 1985 to 1988. Age of patients varied from 19 to 60 years. There were 7 females and 14 males and most of them from urban areas. All patients had a single abscess and the common site affected was the right lobe. Microorganisms isolated from 19 patients included a variety of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria and a protozoan Entamoeba histolytica. Escherichia coli was the most common etiologic agent for the pyogenic abscesses. Therapy was a combination of an open surgical drainage and antimicrobial agents. Usually the drug regimen included metronidazole in combination with either tetracycline, ampicillin or gentamicin. No mortality was recorded on a long-term sequelae.