Interní Med. 2007; 9(1): 19-20

Listeria meningitis

MUDr. Pavel Kosina¹, MUDr. Jana Krausová²

¹ Infekční klinika Fakultní nemocnice Hradec Králové

² Klinika infekčních nemocí FN a LF UK, Hradec Králové

Bacterial meningitis caused by Listeria monocytogenes appear less frequently than other ones but they still have been part of live threatening diseases above all in newborns, infants, pregnant women and immunocompromized individuals. Alimentary transmission is the most frequent way of disorders´ acquisition, perinatal transmission or carrying over from a mother are less frequently reported. The onset of meningitis or encephalitis might be a far more insidious in comparison to other bacterial pathogens as well as certain distinctions concerning the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) findings – especially the CSF neutrophilic – monocytic pleocytosis. Long lasting diagnostic approaches comprising direct microscopy and bacterial cultivation have been extended due to direct detection of listeria DNA on a basis of polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Persistency of good susceptibility of listeria to antibiotics has still allowed using ampicillin as a first-line choice resp. combination plus gentamicin, or alternatively trimethoprimum-sulfamethoxazol in case of hypersensitiveness. It is unavoidable to consider the listeria etiology in differential diagnosis of CNS infections due to the extension of refrigerated foodstuff, extensive therapeutic managements in hemato-oncologic patients and possibility of epidemic onset in healthcare centers.

Keywords: Key words: meningitis, alimentary transmition, neonatal infections, antibiotic treatment.

Published: January 1, 2007  Show citation