Listeria Monocytogenes Meningitis in Immunocompetent and Healthy Children: a Case Report and a Review of the Literature

Overview

Journal Ital J Pediatr

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialty Pediatrics

Date 2018 Dec 31

PMID 30594251

Citations 12

Authors

Massimo Luca Castellazzi

Paola Marchisio

Samantha Bosis

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Listeria monocytogenes is a gram-positive bacteria generally transmitted to humans through ingestion of contaminated food. It typically infects high risk subjects, such as pregnant women, neonates, the elderly and immunocompromised patients. Listeria meningitis is rarely reported in previously healthy children with no immunological disorders. However, it can be aggressive in such subjects and is associated with a high mortality rate. Prompt diagnosis is essential so that adequate antibiotic treatment can be started and the best outcome achieved.

Case Presentation: We report the case of a previously healthy 16-month-old child with Listeria meningitis who was successfully treated with intravenous ampicillin and gentamicin without any sequelae.

Conclusions: Although Listeria meningitis is rare in previously healthy immunocompetent children, it must be considered, especially in children who do not improve with first-line antibiotic treatment. A review of the literature published since 1996 has been performed, to provide a general overview on this topic.

Citing Articles

Clinical characteristics of 15 patients with listeria meningitis in adult.

Qu H, Wang Y, Diao H, Ren G, Wang Z, Shang J Heliyon. 2024; 10(1):e23755.

PMID: 38223708 PMC: 10784154. DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23755.

Challenges in Managing a Case of Neonatal Listeriosis in Portugal.

Simao Raimundo D, Viveiros E, Monteiro I, Gomes F Cureus. 2023; 15(5):e38405.

PMID: 37265911 PMC: 10231900. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.38405.

Electrochemical Biosensors as a Novel Platform in the Identification of Listeriosis Infection.

Mehrannia L, Khalilzadeh B, Rahbarghazi R, Milani M, Saydan Kanberoglu G, Yousefi H Biosensors (Basel). 2023; 13(2).

PMID: 36831982 PMC: 9954029. DOI: 10.3390/bios13020216.

Treatment failure in a patient infected with sepsis combined with latent meningitis: A case report.

Wu G, Zhou J, Hong W, Huang J, Yan S World J Clin Cases. 2022; 10(29):10565-10574.

PMID: 36312510 PMC: 9602244. DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v10.i29.10565.

Listerial Meningitis and Brain Abscess With Coexisting COVID-19 Infection in a Young, Immunocompetent Male: A Case Report.

Bokhari S, Sattar H, Abid S, Jaffer S, Sajid S Cureus. 2022; 14(9):e29455.

PMID: 36299945 PMC: 9587750. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.29455.

References

Economou M, Karyda S, Kansouzidou A, Kavaliotis J . Listeria meningitis in children: report of two cases. Infection. 2000; 28(2):121-3. DOI: 10.1007/s150100050061. View

Azimi P, Koranyi K, Lindsey K . Listeria monocytogens: synergistic effects of ampicillin and gentamicin. Am J Clin Pathol. 1979; 72(6):974-7. DOI: 10.1093/ajcp/72.6.974. View

Ulloa-Gutierrez R, Avila-Aguero M, Huertas E . Fulminant Listeria monocytogenes meningitis complicated with acute hydrocephalus in healthy children beyond the newborn period. Pediatr Emerg Care. 2004; 20(4):233-7. DOI: 10.1097/01.pec.0000121243.99242.a9. View

Hitomi S, Ohto T, Okamoto M, Nishimura Y, Iwasaki N, Matsui A . A case of listerial meningitis treated with a regimen containing panipenem-betamipron. J Infect Chemother. 2004; 10(4):242-4. DOI: 10.1007/s10156-004-0323-5. View

Tunkel A, Hartman B, Kaplan S, Kaufman B, Roos K, Scheld W . Practice guidelines for the management of bacterial meningitis. Clin Infect Dis. 2004; 39(9):1267-84. DOI: 10.1086/425368. View

Chiba N, Murayama S, Morozumi M, Nakayama E, Okada T, Iwata S . Rapid detection of eight causative pathogens for the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis by real-time PCR. J Infect Chemother. 2009; 15(2):92-8. DOI: 10.1007/s10156-009-0670-3. View

Dilber E, Aksoy A, Cakir M, Bahat E, Kamasak T, Dilber B . Listeria monocytogenes meningitis in two immunocompetent children. Ann Trop Paediatr. 2009; 29(3):225-9. DOI: 10.1179/027249309X12467994694058. View

Peer M, Nasir R, Kakru D, Fomda B, Wani M, Hakeem Q . Listeria monocytogenes meningoencephalitis in an immunocompetent, previously healthy 20-month old female child. Indian J Med Microbiol. 2010; 28(2):169-71. DOI: 10.4103/0255-0857.62500. View

Lee J, Cho W, Nam C, Jung M, Kang J, Suh B . A case of meningoencephalitis caused by Listeria monocytogenes in a healthy child. Korean J Pediatr. 2010; 53(5):653-6. PMC: 2994123. DOI: 10.3345/kjp.2010.53.5.653. View

10.

Ben Shimol S, Einhorn M, Greenberg D . Listeria meningitis and ventriculitis in an immunocompetent child: case report and literature review. Infection. 2011; 40(2):207-11. DOI: 10.1007/s15010-011-0177-6. View

11.

Monnier A, Abachin E, Beretti J, Berche P, Kayal S . Diagnosis of Listeria monocytogenes meningoencephalitis by real-time PCR for the hly gene. J Clin Microbiol. 2011; 49(11):3917-23. PMC: 3209115. DOI: 10.1128/JCM.01072-11. View

12.

Lobotkova D, Dicka E, Rolny V, Stankovic I, ciznar P . Systemic Listeria monocytogenes infection in a 2-year-old immunocompetent child. Infection. 2014; 42(6):1055-9. DOI: 10.1007/s15010-014-0655-8. View

13.

Gee S, Karsies T . Listeria meningitis-associated bradyarrhythmia treated with isoproterenol. Am J Emerg Med. 2014; 33(2):306.e1-2. DOI: 10.1016/j.ajem.2014.06.022. View

14.

Papandreou A, Hedrera-Fernandez A, Kaliakatsos M, Chong W, Bhate S . An unusual presentation of paediatric Listeria meningitis with selective spinal grey matter involvement and acute demyelinating polyneuropathy. Eur J Paediatr Neurol. 2015; 20(1):196-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpn.2015.08.004. View

15.

Villa G, Diana M, Solari N, Bandettini R, Sorrentino S, Loy A . Listeria Meningitis in an Immunocompetent Child. Pediatr Emerg Care. 2016; 33(8):579-581. DOI: 10.1097/PEC.0000000000000687. View

16.

Polat M, Kara S, Tapisiz A, Derinoz O, Caglar K, Tezer H . Successful treatment of refractory listeria meningitis and bacteremia with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in an immunocompetent child. Turk J Pediatr. 2016; 58(2):220-222. DOI: 10.24953/turkjped.2016.02.017. View

17.

Ohnishi T, Kawano A, Araki M, Hamahata Y, Usui M, Shimoyamada M . Listeria monocytogenes Meningitis Complicating Rotavirus Gastroenteritis in an Immunocompetent Child. Keio J Med. 2017; 66(2):25-28. DOI: 10.2302/kjm.2016-0007-CR. View

18.

Shimbo A, Takasawa K, Nishioka M, Morio T, Shimohira M . Complications of Listeria meningitis in two immunocompetent children. Pediatr Int. 2018; 60(5):491-492. DOI: 10.1111/ped.13550. View

19.

Xu J, Gao F, Yuan Z, Jiang L, Xia Z, Zhao Z . Mild encephalitis/encephalopathy with a reversible splenial lesion (MERS) associated with bacteria meningitis caused by listeria monocytogenes: A case report. Medicine (Baltimore). 2018; 97(30):e11561. PMC: 6078722. DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000011561. View

20.

Mossey R, Sondheimer J . Listeriosis in patients with long-term hemodialysis and transfusional iron overload. Am J Med. 1985; 79(3):397-400. DOI: 10.1016/0002-9343(85)90322-5. View