Forty-eight patients were treated for amoebic liver abscess, 27 with metronidazole (Flagyl; Maybaker) and 21 with tinidazole (Fasigyn; Pfizer). Although 4 patients treated with tinidazole and 2 treated with metronidazole required a second course of therapy, both drugs were highly effective and resulted in rapid clinical improvement. The only side-effect was oral candidiasis, which developed in 2 patients in each drug group.