title: Listeria Meningitis in an Immunocompetent Child.
abstract: Listeria monocytogenes is a facultative anerobic, gram-positive bacillus that is isolated from the soil, vegetables, and wild or domestic animals. Listeria infection is usually found in the older adults, immunocompromised patients, pregnant women, and newborns, whereas it is rare in healthy infants and children. Listeria monocytogenes may cause meningitis, meningoencephalitis, brain abscess, pyogenic arthritis, osteomyelitis, and liver abscess in children. The course of meningoencephalitis by Listeria is often severe and even fatal. Complications such as acute hydrocephalus, brain abscess, and spine abscess can develop, and the mortality associated with listeriosis is significantly high. We present a case of a previously healthy 7-year-old boy who developed Listeria monocytogenes meningitis.
authors.affiliation: From the *Emergency Department of Paediatrics, Departments of †Clinical Pathology and Microbiology and ‡Hematology and Oncology, and §Infectious Diseases Unit, G. Gaslini Children's Hospital, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Villa
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Diana
authors.forename: Nicoletta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Solari
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bandettini
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sorrentino
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Loy
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Losurdo
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Renna
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D007121:Immunocompetence; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008297:Male; D008584:Meningitis, Listeria / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013129:Spinal Puncture; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents