title: [Streptococcus suis meningitis in a meat factory employee].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In the Netherlands, Streptococcus suis is a rare cause of meningitis. Over the past few years, the number of reported cases worldwide has increased. The bacterium is mainly isolated in pigs, but humans can also become infected.
  
  
  METHODS
  At the Emergency Department, a 60-year-old man presented with headache, confusion, fever and nuchal rigidity. He worked at a meat factory. Laboratory testing showed abnormalities linked to bacterial meningitis. S. suis was cultured from blood and cerebrospinal fluid. The patient was treated with dexamethasone, ceftriaxone and later benzylpenicillin intravenously. He recovered well, but had bilateral perceptive hearing loss as a sequela.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Particularly people who are in close contact with pigs have an increased risk of S. suis infection. S. suis meningitis can be very severe and lead to serious complications and even death. Rapid diagnosis and adequate treatment are critical. Permanent hearing loss is the most frequent sequela.
authors.affiliation: Jeroen Bosch Ziekenhuis,'s-Hertogenbosch, Afd. Neurologie, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Laura M E
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: de Ceuster
authors.forename: Jeroen J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: van Dillen
authors.forename: Peter C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Wever
authors.forename: Wouter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Rozemeijer
authors.forename: Elisabeth S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Louwerse
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019649:Food Industry; D006312:Hearing Loss, Bilateral / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology*; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D017011:Streptococcus suis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013552:Swine; D015047:Zoonoses
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents