Summary
Four cases of central nervous system (CNS) infection caused byListeria monocytogenes are reported. All occurred in adult patients previously well before the onset of symptoms. Three had evidence of encephalitis, predominantly affecting the brainstem in two, and one had meningitis. Of the three patients with encephalitis, two had clinical signs of meningeal involvement. Initial examination of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) demonstrated between 110 and 680 white cells/mm3 predominantly consisting of either lymphocytes or neutrophils. Protein estimation varied from 25 mg/dl to 400 mg/dl and glucose concentration from 10 mg/dl to 100 mg/dl.Listeria monocytogenes was isolated from the blood in the two cases of brainstem infection and from the CSF in the others. All strains were of serogroup 4 and susceptiblein vitro to penicillin, ampicillin, gentamicin and chloramphenicol. In one patient the diagnosis was made post-mortem. Of the other patients, two survived without neurological sequelae but the third had severe brain damage. The clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of listerial CNS infections are discussed.
Zusammenfassung
Es wird überListeria monocytogenes-Infektionen des Zentralnervensystems (ZNS) bei vier vorher gesunden Erwachsenen berichtet. Bei drei Patienten lagen Zeichen einer Encephalitis vor, bei zweien von ihnen war vorwiegend der Hirnstamm befallen, ein Patient hatte eine Meningitis. Klinische Zeichen einer Meningenbeteiligung boten zwei der drei Encephalitis-Patienten. Im Liquor cerebrospinalis fanden sich bei der ersten Untersuchung zwischen 110 und 680 Leukozyten/mm3, dabei überwogen entweder Lymphozyten oder neutrophile Granulozyten. Die Eiweißkonzentrationen im Liquor schwankten zwischen 25 mg/dl und 400 mg/dl, die Glukosekonzentrationen zwischen 10 mg/dl und 100 mg/dl.Listeria monocytogenes wurde in zwei Fällen mit Hirnstammbefall aus dem Blut isoliert und in den anderen Fällen aus dem Liquor cerebrospinalis. Alle Stämme gehörten der Serogruppe 4 an und warenin vitro gegenüber Penicillin, Ampicillin, Gentamicin und Chloramphenicol empfindlich. In einem Fall wurde die Diagnose post mortem gestellt. Von den anderen Patienten überlebten zwei ohne neurologische Folgeerscheinungen, der dritte hingegen hatte eine schwere Hirnschädigung. Die klinischen Charakteristika, Diagnose und Behandlung der Listeria-Infektionen des Zentralnervensystems werden diskutiert.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature
Murray, E. G. D., Webb, R. A., Swann, M. B. R. A disease of rabbits characterized by a large mononuclear leucocytosis, caused by a hitherto undescribed bacillus:Bacterium monocytogenes (n. sp.) J. Pathol. Bact. 29 (1926) 407–439.
Nyfeldt, A. Etiologie de la mononucléose infectieuse. C. R. Soc. Biol. 101 (1929) 590–592.
Nieman, R. E., Lorber, B. Listeriosis in adults: A changing pattern. Report of eight cases and review of the literature, 1968–1978. Infect. Dis. Rev. 2 (1980) 207–227.
Louria, D. B., Hensle, T., Armstrong, D., Collins, H. S., Blevins, A., Krugman, D., Buse, M. Listeriosis complicating malignant disease. A new association. Ann. Intern. Med. 67 (1967) 260–281.
Ford, P. M., Herzberg, L., Ford, S. E. Listeria monocytogenes: Six cases affecting the central nervous system. Q. J. Med. 37 (1968) 281–290.
Buchner, L. H., Schneierson, S. S. Clinical and laboratory aspects ofListeria monocytogenes infections. Am. J. Med. 45 (1968) 904–921.
News and Notes. Listeriosis. Br. Med. J. 2 (1972) 415.
Kennard, C., Howard, A. J., Scholtz, C., Swash, M. Infection of the brainstem byListeria monocytogenes. J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry 42 (1979) 931–933.
Gray, M. L., Killinger, A. H. Listeria monocytogenes and listeric infections. Bacteriol. Rev. 39 (1966) 308–392.
Nirmul, G., Glabman, S., Haimov, M., Leiter, E., Burrows, L. Listeria monocytogenes meningitis during immunosuppression. N. Engl. J. Med. 285 (1971) 1323.
Simpson, J. F. Listeria monocytogenes meningitis: An opportunistic infection. J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry 34 (1971) 657–663.
Iwarson, S., Lidin-Janson, G., Svensson, R. Listeric meningitis in the non-compromised host. Infection 5 (1977) 204–206.
Eck, H. Encephalomyelitis listeriaca apostematosa. Schweiz. Med. Wochenschr. 87 (1957) 210–214.
Bénazet, F., Schier, R., Bonjean, M. Les encéphalites listériennes suppurées. Presse Médicale 65 (1957) 2168–2170.
Hirasawa, H. Morphologischer Beitrag zur Kenntnis der Listeriameningoencephalitis beim Erwachsenen und beim Säugling. Arch. Psychiatr. Nervenkr. 197 (1958) 449–462.
Christ, P., Schiessl, R., Schoop, G. Klinische und bakteriologische Beobachtungen bei vier Erkrankungen an Listeria-Meningo-Encephalitis. Deutsches Archiv für Klinische Medizin 207 (1961) 223–238.
Duffy, P. E., Sassin, J. F., Summers, D. S., Lourie, H. Rhomboencephalitis due toListeria monocytogenes. Neurology (Minneap.) 14 (1964) 1067–1072.
Mahoney, J. F., Tambyah, J. A., Dalton, V. C., Wolfenden, W. H. Pontomedullary listeriosis in renal allograft recipient. Br. Med. J. 2 (1974) 705.
Katz, R. I., McGlemery, M. E., Levy, R. CNS listeriosis. Rhomboencephalitis in a healthy immunocompetent person. Arch. Neurol. 36 (1979) 513–514.
Johnson, M. L., Colley, E. W. Listeria monocytogenes encephalitis associated with corticosteroid therapy. J. Clin. Pathol. 22 (1969) 465–469.
Watson, G. W., Fuller, T. J., Elms, J., Kluge, R. M. Listeria cerebritis. Arch. Intern. Med. 138 (1978) 83–87.
Niklassen, P. M., Hambraeus, A., Lindgren, G., Magnusson, G., Sundelin, P., Groth, C. G. Listeria encephalitis in five renal transplant recipients. Acta Med. Scand. 203 (1978) 181–185.
Halkin, H., Shacked, I. J., Altmann, G. Brain abscess due toListeria monocytogenes in a patient with cirrhosis of the liver. J. Med. Sci. (Israel) 7 (1971) 1192–1195.
Chow, A. W., Alexander, E., Montgomerie, J. Z., Guze, L. B. Successful treatment of non-meningitic listerial brain abscess without operation. West. J. Med. 122 (1975) 167–171.
Crocker, E. F., Leicester, J. Cerebral abscess due toListeria monocytogenes. Med. J. Austr., 1 (1976) 90–92.
Seeliger, H. P. R. in: Listeriosis. Hafner Publishing Company, New York, 1961, p. 135.
Medoff, G., Kunz, L. J., Weinberg, A. N. Listeriosis in humans: An evaluation. J. Infect. Dis. 123 (1971) 247–250.
Gordon, R., Barrett, F. F., Yow, M. D. Ampicillin treatment of listeriosis. J. Pediatr. 77 (1970) 1067–1070.
Hoeprich, P. D. Infection due toListeria monocytogenes. Medicine (Baltimore) 37 (1958) 143–160.
Moellering, R. C. Jr., Medoff, G., Leech, I., Wennersten, C., Kunz, L. J. Antibiotic synergism againstListeria monocytogenes. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 1 (1972) 30–34.
Wiggins, G. L., Albritton, W. L., Feeley, J. S. Antibiotic susceptibility of clinical isolates ofListeria monocytogenes. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 13 (1978) 854–860.
Garrod, L. P., Lambert, H. P., O'Grady, F. In: Antibiotics and Chemotherapy, 4th ed., Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh 1973, p. 138.
Kramer, P. W., Griffith, R. S., Campbell, R. L. Antibiotic penetration of the brain: A comparative study. J. Neurosurg. 31 (1969) 295–302.
Gray, M. L. Epidemiological aspects of listeriosis. Am. J. Public Health 53 (1963) 554–563.
Bojsen-Møller, J. B. Human listeriosis. Acta Pathol. Microbiol. Scand. B. Suppl. 229 (1972) 72–92.
Taylor, A. G. Listeriosis. Lancet 1 (1980) 1136.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Howard, A.J., Kennard, C., Evkyn, S. et al. Listerial infections of the central nervous system in the previously healthy adult. Infection 9, 80–84 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01640633
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01640633