Listeria meningitis in transplant recipients

Meningitis is a rare complication following organ and stem-cell transplantation and can be caused by a variety of microorganisms.

To retrospectively review the clinical course and outcome of five cases of listeriosis in four organ recipients and one stem-cell recipient during a seven-year period.

Patient records for more than 3500 patients undergoing organ or stem-cell transplantation at the university hospital of Innsbruck during a 27-year period were evaluated. Standard immunosuppression consisted of calcineurin inhibitor-based triple drug therapy with or without ATG or IL2 receptor antagonist induction.

The first case affected a 35-year-old woman who received an allogenic bone marrow transplant for advanced breast cancer. Cases two and three related to two male heart recipients. Cases four and five were diagnosed in one male and one female renal recipient. Listeria monocytogenes was isolated from blood in two cases and from cerebrospinal fluid in three. Treatment consisted of ampicillin in all cases with the addition of tobramycin (1), TMPS (1), meropenem (2) or imipenem/cilastatin (1). The deaths of two patients were directly related to L. monocytogenes.

Although listeriosis is a rare complication following transplantation, this infection should be ruled out in individuals presenting with neurological symptoms and fever.