Which symptom is most commonly associated with an amebic liver abscess?

An amebic liver abscess is primarily caused by an infection with Entamoeba histolytica, which often spreads from the intestines to the liver. The symptom most commonly associated with this condition is right upper quadrant (RUQ) pain. Patients typically present with localized tenderness in the RUQ due to the presence of the abscess within the liver, which can cause inflammation and somatic irritation of the liver capsule.

While diarrhea can occur due to colonic involvement before the development of the abscess, it is not specific to liver abscesses and may not be present in all cases. Similarly, weight loss is a nonspecific symptom that can be associated with many chronic diseases, and chest pain is unlikely to be related to an amebic liver abscess. In summary, RUQ pain is the hallmark symptom, directly reflecting the underlying pathology of the abscess in the liver.