title: Fulminant Listeria monocytogenes meningitis complicated with acute hydrocephalus in healthy children beyond the newborn period.
abstract: We describe 3 previously healthy Costa Rican children who had Listeria monocytogenes meningitis, an uncommon cause of bacterial meningitis beyond the newborn period in normal subjects. Two of them had initial normal brain computed tomography, but all 3 developed acute hydrocephalus at days 7, 3, and 5, respectively. All required immediate ventriculostomy placement and only 1 of 3 survived. L. monocytogenes should be considered among the etiologies of bacterial meningitis in children who do not respond initially to conventional antimicrobial treatment or who deteriorate rapidly.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Infectología, Hospital Nacional de Niños de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica. rgut@cw.bc.ca
authors.forename: Rolando
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ulloa-Gutierrez
authors.forename: Maria L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Avila-Agüero
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Huertas
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000583:Amikacin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002439:Cefotaxime / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003364:Costa Rica; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004351:Drug Resistance; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004630:Emergencies; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008584:Meningitis, Listeria / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D000077731:Meropenem; D012293:Rifampin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013845:Thienamycins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014696:Ventriculostomy
chemical_list: D013845:Thienamycins; D014640:Vancomycin; D003907:Dexamethasone; D000583:Amikacin; D000077731:Meropenem; D002439:Cefotaxime; D012293:Rifampin