title: Cerebrospinal fluid inflammatory markers in patients withListeria monocytogenesmeningitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Listeria monocytogenesmeningitis is the third most common cause of bacterial meningitis and is associated with high rates of mortality and unfavorable outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed 101 cytokines, chemokines and complement factors in CSF of adult patients with Listeria meningitis included in a prospective cohort study and compared these biomarkers between Listeria meningitis patients and negative controls, and between Listeria meningitis patients with a favorable and an unfavorable outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CSF was available from 26 of 62 (42%) Listeria meningitis patients and 19 negative controls. Fifteen (58%) Listeria meningitis patients had an unfavorable outcome. In Listeria meningitis CSF levels of 51 biomarkers were significantly elevated compared to negative controls after Bonferroni correction. The 11 most significantly elevated (P < .01) biomarkers of unfavorable outcome in Listeria meningitis were markers of T-cell activation (sIL-2Rα, sCD40L and IL-1), interferon-related (IFN-α2, IL-18, CX3CL1, CCL20), markers of complement activation (C3a), and endothelial growth factor related (VEGF, CXCL7).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that T-cell activation, complement activation, interferon- and endothelial growth factor production are important in the immune response to Listeria meningitis, and thereby influence outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study provides target pathways for further studies in the pathophysiology of Listeria meningitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Center for Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Merel M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Koopmans
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Center for Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Matthijs C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Brouwer
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Center for Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Madelijn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Geldhoff
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Center for Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Mercedes Valls
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Seron
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Center for Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Houben
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Center for Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands ; The Netherlands Reference Laboratory for Bacterial Meningitis, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Arie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van der Ende
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Center for Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Diederik
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: van de Beek
keywords: Chemokines; Cytokines; Listeria monocytogenes; Meningitis; Outcome