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Updated: Apr 12, 2026
Listeria monocytogenes Infection of the Brain
Published on: October 2, 2018
Cerebrospinal fluid inflammatory markers in patients with Listeria monocytogenes meningitis
Merel M Koopmans1, Matthijs C Brouwer1, Madelijn Geldhoff1
1Department of Neurology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Center for Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Insights
Immune responses involving T-cell activation, complement, interferon, and growth factors are key in Listeria meningitis. These pathways significantly influence patient outcomes and offer targets for future research.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimmunology
- Infectious Diseases
- Meningitis Research
Background:
- Listeria monocytogenes meningitis is a severe infection with high mortality and poor outcomes.
- It is the third most common cause of bacterial meningitis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) associated with Listeria meningitis.
- To compare biomarker profiles between patients and controls, and between favorable and unfavorable outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 101 cytokines, chemokines, and complement factors in CSF from adult Listeria meningitis patients and controls.
- Prospective cohort study design.
Main Results:
- CSF from 26 patients and 19 controls was analyzed.
- 51 biomarkers were significantly elevated in Listeria meningitis patients compared to controls.
- Eleven key biomarkers, including T-cell activation markers (sIL-2Rα, sCD40L, IL-1), interferon-related factors (IFN-α2, IL-18, CX3CL1, CCL20), complement activation marker (C3a), and endothelial growth factors (VEGF, CXCL7), were associated with unfavorable outcomes.
Conclusions:
- T-cell activation, complement activation, interferon production, and endothelial growth factor signaling are crucial in the immune response to Listeria meningitis.
- These pathways significantly impact patient prognosis and represent potential therapeutic targets.
Background:
Listeria monocytogenes meningitis is the third most common cause of bacterial meningitis and is associated with high rates of mortality and unfavorable outcome.
Methods:
We analyzed 101 cytokines, chemokines and complement factors in CSF of adult patients with Listeria meningitis included in a prospective cohort study and compared these biomarkers between Listeria meningitis patients and negative controls, and between Listeria meningitis patients with a favorable and an unfavorable outcome.
Results:
CSF was available from 26 of 62 (42%) Listeria meningitis patients and 19 negative controls. Fifteen (58%) Listeria meningitis patients had an unfavorable outcome. In Listeria meningitis CSF levels of 51 biomarkers were significantly elevated compared to negative controls after Bonferroni correction. The 11 most significantly elevated (P < .01) biomarkers of unfavorable outcome in Listeria meningitis were markers of T-cell activation (sIL-2Rα, sCD40L and IL-1), interferon-related (IFN-α2, IL-18, CX3CL1, CCL20), markers of complement activation (C3a), and endothelial growth factor related (VEGF, CXCL7).
Conclusions:
Our data suggest that T-cell activation, complement activation, interferon- and endothelial growth factor production are important in the immune response to Listeria meningitis, and thereby influence outcome.
General Significance:
Our study provides target pathways for further studies in the pathophysiology of Listeria meningitis.
