title: Listeria monocytogenes: a rare complication of ventriculoperitoneal shunt in children.
abstract: We report a case of ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt infection in a 3-year-old boy caused by the food-borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes, subsequent to acute peritonitis. This unusual presentation of central nervous system (CNS) listeriosis underlines the ability of the bacteria to form and survive within biofilms on indwelling medical devices. Bacterial persistence may lead to treatment failure and spreading. We highlight the helpfulness of specific quantitative real-time PCR for the hly gene (PCR-hly) for the diagnosis and follow-up of such infections in detecting bacterial persistence within medical devices despite effective antibiotic treatment. Only the surgical replacement of the VP shunt will resolve the infection.
authors.affiliation: Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France. alemonnier@ch-versailles.fr
authors.forename: Alban
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Le Monnier
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Blanot
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Abachin
authors.forename: Jean-Luc
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Beretti
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Berche
authors.forename: Samer
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kayal
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000379:methods; D055499:Catheter-Related Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016903:Drug Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D006459:Hemolysin Factors / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008297:Male; D008584:Meningitis, Listeria / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D017287:Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents