Listeria meningoencephalitis in an immunocompetent person

Listeria monocytogenes is a small, aerobic or facultative anaerobic, non-sporulating gram positive bacillus that can be isolated from soil, vegetation or animal reservoirs. There are six species of Listeria, and only L. monocytogenes is pathogenic for humans. Human disease occurs mainly in immunocompromised people, neonates and in pregnancy, while the cases in immunocompetent people are rare. CNS manifestations of the disease can be in form of meningitis, encephalitis, and also cerebritis and abscess since L. monocytogenes shows tropism for brain and brain stem as well for the meninges. In this case we presented 55 year old male patient with etiologically confirmed listerial meningoencephalitis, transferred from regional hospital tothe Clinic for Infectious Diseases with diagnosis of acute meningoencephalitis. Disease started 4 days before the admission. Prior to this the patient was completely healthy. In his history he denied any preexisting disease. At admittance he was febrile, with altered consciousness, disoriented, showing ocular deviation, dystaxia, and with completely positive meningeal signs. Neurologist diagnosis was rhombencephalitis. CSF analysis showed mildly opalescent liquor with pleocytosis 546/mm3 and polymorphonuclear cell predominance >70%. CSF culture showed positive isolate of L. monocytogenes. Initial therapy was: Penicillin G and Chloramphenicol, together with all other supportive and symptomatic therapy. After initial therapy and based on antibiogram, ampicillin was administered for4 weeks, followed by imipenemum for 10 days. Control CSF analysis showed pleocytosis and increased protein level and the patient was discharged as recovered with diagnosis of acute meningoencephalitis