title: [Diarrhoea and fever in chemotherapy patients due to listeriosis].
abstract: We present two patients with colorectal carcinoma who were admitted with fever and diarrhoea during treatment with chemotherapy. Blood cultures taken from both patients revealed an infection with Listeria monocytogenes. A contaminated ice cream was probably the source of infection in one patient. The other patient died of the listeriosis. Patients with diminished cellular immunity are at risk of invasive listeriosis. Listeriosis has a high mortality rate in this group of patients. Intravenous penicillin or ampicillin for 4 to 6 weeks is the first choice of antibiotic treatment. These antibiotics can be combined with an aminoglycoside or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for a synergistic effect. To prevent invasive listeriosis we recommend strict dietary advice to all patients with diminished cellular immunity.
authors.affiliation: Universitair Medisch Centrum St Radboud, afdeling Medische Oncologie, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Elske
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Quak
authors.forename: Hanneke W M
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: van Laarhoven
authors.forename: Henk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bos
authors.forename: Jolande W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Bouwhuis
authors.forename: Carla M L
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: van Herpen
authors.forename: Winette T A
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: van der Graaf
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005334:Fever / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007054:Ice Cream / Q000382:microbiology*; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes; D008088:Listeriosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents