Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Nosocomial infections byListeria monocytogenes: Analysis of a cluster of septicemias in immunocompromised patients

  • Originalia
  • Published:
Infection Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

From December 1994 to November 1995 an unusual accumulation ofListeria infections occurred at the University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany. Eleven immunosuppressed patients from different departments developed septicemia due toListeria monocytogenes during hospitalization. In a retrospective study, serotyping and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis revealed that six isolates were identical or genetically related. Four of them had been isolated from renal transplant recipients.Listeria monocytogenes was neither detected in food samples of the renal transplantation ward, nor in stool specimens obtained from the ward staff. There had been no close contacts among the infected patients. Before transplantation, the renal transplant recipients had been dialysed in different dialysis centers. Nosocomial foodborne transmission could not be proven but seems likely.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Swaminathan, B., Rocourt, J., Bille, J. Listeria. In:Murray, P. R., Baron, E. J., Pfaller, M. A., Tenover, F. C., Yolken, R. H. (eds.): Manual of clinical microbiology. 6th ed. American Society for Microbiology, Washington, DC 1995, pp. 341–348.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Moore, M.A., Datta, A. R. DNA fingerprinting ofListeria monocytogenes strains by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Food Microbiol. 11 (1994) 31–38.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Schlech, W. F. Lowbury lecture: Listeriosis: epidemiology, virulence and the significance of contaminated foodstuffs. J. Hosp. Infect. 19 (1991) 211–224.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Fleming, D. W., Cochi, S. L., MacDonald, K. L., Brondum, J., Hayes, P. S., Plikaytis, B. D., Holmes, M. B., Audurier, A., Broome, C. V., Reingold, A. Pasteurized milk as a vehicle of infections in an outbreak of listeriosis. N. Engl. J. Med. 312 (1985) 404–407.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Simmons, B. T., Dixon, R. E., Bennett, J. V.: Listeria monocytogenes infection in a renal transplant unit in an Alabama hospital. CDC EPI-80-16-2, April 1980.

  6. Schuchat, A., Lizano, C., Broome, C. V., Swaminathan, B., Kim, C., Winn, K. Outbreak of neonatal listeriosis associated with mineral oil. Pediatr. Infect. Dis. J. 10 (1991) 183–189.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Tenover, F. C., Arbeit, R. D., Goering, R. V., Mickelsen, P. A., Murray, B. E., Persing, D. H., Swaminathan, B. Interpreting chromosomal DNA restriction patterns produced by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis: criteria for bacterial strain typing. J. Clin. Microbiol. 33 (1995) 2233–2239.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Southwick, F. S., Purich, D. L. Intracellular pathogenesis of listeriosis. N. Engl. J. Med. 334 (1996) 770–776.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Tolkoff-Rubin, N. E., Rubin, R. H. Opportunistic fungal and bacterial infection in the renal transplant recipient. J. Am. Soc. Nephrol. 2 (Suppl. 12) (1992) S264-S269.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Vollaard, E. J., Clasener, H. A. L., Janssen, A. J. H. M. co-trimoxazole impairs colonization resistance in healthy volunteers. J. Antimicrob. Chemother. 30 (1992) 685–691.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Halarambie, E., Mahmoud, H. K., Linzenmeier, G., Wendt, F. The “clostridial effect” of selective decontamination of the human gut with trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole in neutropenic patients. Infection 11 (1983) 201–204.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Moe, G. Enteral feeding and infection in the immunocompromised patient. Nutr. Clin. Pract. 6 (1991) 55–64.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie und Immunologie, Universitätskrankenhaus Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, D-20246, Hamburg, Germany

    H.-A. Elsner &  P.-M. Kaulfers

  2. Urologische Klinik Abt. für Allgemeinchirurgie, Universitätskrankenhaus Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, D-20246, Hamburg, Germany

    W Tenschert

  3. Chirurgische Klinik, Abt. für Allgemeinchirurgie, Universitätskrankenhaus Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, D-20246, Hamburg, Germany

    L. Fischer

Authors
  1. H.-A. Elsner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. P.-M. Kaulfers
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. W Tenschert
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. L. Fischer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Elsner, HA., Kaulfers, PM., Tenschert, W. et al. Nosocomial infections byListeria monocytogenes: Analysis of a cluster of septicemias in immunocompromised patients. Infection 25, 135–139 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02113599

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02113599

Keywords

Search

Navigation