Listeria monocytogenes cerebritis, bacteremia, and cutaneous lesions complicating hairy cell leukemia

Hairy cell leukemia is a lymphoreticular malignancy characterized by a chronic course and multiple defects in host defense mechanisms. Infections are the major cause of morbidity and mortality in this malignancy. Opportunistic infections due to pathogens normally controlled by cell-mediated immune mechanisms have been increasingly described but have not included listerial infections. This report describes a case of disseminated Listeria monocytogenes infection including the uncommon manifestations of cerebritis and cutaneous lesions in a patient with hairy cell leukemia.