title: Update on Listeria monocytogenes infection.
abstract: Listeria monocytogenes is a gram-positive bacillus that causes meningitis, encephalitis, bacteremia, and febrile gastroenteritis. Most disease occurs in immunosuppressed individuals. Recent seroepidemiologic studies show that the infection is foodborne. Due to the increasing number of immunosuppressed individuals at risk for listeriosis, as well as the persistence of substantial foodborne outbreaks, L. monocytogenes has gained worldwide attention as an important pathogen. Heightened surveillance and quality control by the food industry have been instituted, leading to a reduction in the number of cases and deaths from this infection in the past decade. However, due to the ubiquity of the organism in the environment, outbreaks and sporadic disease continue to occur. The standard therapy for listeriosis is a combination of ampicillin and gentamicin or, for patients who are intolerant of b-lactam agents, trimethoprim-sulfamethazole. Despite the availability of therapy, the mortality rate remains high in those with T-cell immunodeficiencies.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Disease Division, Naval Medical Center, 34800 Bob Wilson Drive, San Diego, CA, 92134, USA. nfcrum@nmcsd.med.navy.mil
authors.forename: Nancy F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Crum
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000667:Ampicillin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007769:Lactams / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008088:Listeriosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D005839:Gentamicins; D007769:Lactams; D000667:Ampicillin; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination