An unusual presentation of paediatric Listeria meningitis with selective spinal grey matter involvement and acute demyelinating polyneuropathy

Listeria meningitis associated with tonsillar herniation in an immunocompetent school-aged child

Listeria monocytogenes can cause severe illnesses such as gastroenteritis, sepsis and neurolisteriosis, especially in infants, the elderly and immunocompromised patients. We report a case of a previously healthy school-aged girl presenting with severe neurological deficits found to have Listeria meningoencephalitis. Her potential exposure to L. monocytogenes was consumption of contaminated cheese. She had some clinical improvement after initiation of tailored Listeria anti-microbial coverage with ampicillin and gentamicin; however, she developed hydrocephalus requiring external ventricular drain placement and tonsillar herniation requiring emergent posterior fossa decompression. The patient made significant improvements after neurosurgical intervention, and along with continued antibiotics and subsequent rehabilitation services, she improved to near full recovery within a year. The case highlights that neurolisteriosis can affect even immunocompetent children, and aggressive neurosurgical interventions should be considered in patients who develop severe complications such as hydrocephalus and tonsillar herniation to improve outcomes.

Pneumococcal Meningitis Complicated by Spinal Cord Dysfunction and Acute Polyradiculopathy

Background: Meningitis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae is associated with devastating clinical outcomes. A considerable number of patients will develop long-term neurologic complications. Hearing loss, diffuse brain edema, and hydrocephalus are frequently encountered. Acute spinal cord dysfunction and polyradiculopathy can develop in some patients.

Case Report: A 63-year-old female was admitted to our hospital with sudden-onset bilateral lower extremity weakness. On admission, the patient had evidence of spinal cord dysfunction given the abnormal motor and sensory physical examination findings and the absent sensation with a sensory level at dermatome T4 on neurologic examination. Computed tomography myelography did not show evidence of spinal cord compression or transverse myelitis. Cerebrospinal fluid examination was positive for pneumococcal meningitis. The patient was treated with antibiotics and steroids. Nerve conduction studies demonstrated the absence of response, suggesting damage to the peripheral nerves and polyradiculopathy. The patient was treated with plasmapheresis for possible Guillain-Barré syndrome; however, she did not improve despite appropriate antibiotics, steroids, and plasmapheresis. She developed persistent quadriparesis, sensory impairments in upper and lower extremities, and bowel and bladder sphincter dysfunction.

Conclusion: Our case demonstrates the development of spinal cord dysfunction (supported by the sudden onset of paraplegia and the presence of a sensory level) and polyradiculopathy (flaccid paralysis, ascending weakness, and absence of response in neurophysiologic studies suggesting severe damage to the peripheral nerves). The appearance of either complication is unusual, and the simultaneous occurrence of both complications is even more uncommon.

Rhombencephalitis caused by Listeria monocytogenes with hydrocephalus and intracranial hemorrhage: A case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes), a Gram-positive facultatively intracellular bacterium, is the causative agent of human listeriosis. Listeria infection is usually found in immunocompromised patients, including elderly people, pregnant women, and newborns, whereas it is rare in healthy people. L. monocytogenes may cause meningitis, meningoencephalitis, and some very rare and severe complications, such as hydrocephalus and intracranial hemorrhage, which cause high mortality and morbidity worldwide. Up to now, reports on hydrocephalus and intracranial hemorrhage due to L. monocytogenes are few.

CASE SUMMARY

We herein report a case of rhombencephalitis caused by L. monocytogenes in a 29-year-old man. He was admitted to the hospital with a 2-d history of headache and fever. He consumed unpasteurized cooked beef two days before appearance. His medical history included type 2 diabetes mellitus, and contaminated beef intake 2 d before onset. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis revealed Gram-positive rod infection, and blood culture was positive for L. monocytogenes. Magnetic resonance imaging findings suggested rhombencephalitis and hydrocephalus. Treatment was started empirically and then modified according to the blood culture results. Repeated CT images were suggestive of intracranial hemorrhage. Although the patient underwent aggressive external ventricular drainage, he died of a continuing deterioration of intracranial conditions.

CONCLUSION

Hydrocephalus, intracranial hemorrhage, and inappropriate antimicrobial treatment are the determinations of unfavorable outcomes.

Listeria monocytogenes meningitis in immunocompetent and healthy children: a case report and a review of the literature

Background

Listeria monocytogenes is a gram-positive bacteria generally transmitted to humans through ingestion of contaminated food. It typically infects high risk subjects, such as pregnant women, neonates, the elderly and immunocompromised patients. Listeria meningitis is rarely reported in previously healthy children with no immunological disorders. However, it can be aggressive in such subjects and is associated with a high mortality rate. Prompt diagnosis is essential so that adequate antibiotic treatment can be started and the best outcome achieved.

Case presentation

We report the case of a previously healthy 16-month-old child with Listeria meningitis who was successfully treated with intravenous ampicillin and gentamicin without any sequelae.

Conclusions

Although Listeria meningitis is rare in previously healthy immunocompetent children, it must be considered, especially in children who do not improve with first-line antibiotic treatment. A review of the literature published since 1996 has been performed, to provide a general overview on this topic.

Guillain-Barré syndrome following bacterial meningitis: a case report and literature review

Background

We reported a case of an adult that presented Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) after bacterial meningitis which was secondary to chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM). To our knowledge, this is the first case involving an adult presenting with GBS following bacterial meningitis.

Case presentation

A 46-year man with type 2 diabetes and otitis media (OM) suffered with fever, headache, and vomiting for 6 days. The patient’s neck stiffness was obvious and the Kernig and Brudzinski signs were produced. The result of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis and cytological examination of the CSF supported the diagnose of bacterial meningitis. On day 17 the patient felt numbness in both hands and feet, which gradually progressed to weakness of the limbs. Bladder dysfunction occurred, which required catheterization. The patient showed a tetraparesis with emphasis on the legs. The deep tendon reflexes of limbs were absent. The patient had peripheral hypalgesia and deep sensory dysfunction. The symptoms were possibly a result of GBS. Nerve conduction study showed that the F wave latency of the upper and lower limbs was prolonged, particularly the lower limbs. 8 days later the repeated nerve conduction study showed a low compound muscle action potential (3.3 mV) with a normal distal motor latency (14.2 ms) and a low motor nerve conduction velocity (34.3 m/s) in the tibial nerve. The patient still required assistance when walking 3 months after onset.

Conclusions

GBS following bacterial meningitis is rare and limbs weakness in patients with bacterial meningitis was usually considered because of weakness. This case should serve as a reminder for clinical doctors that when a patient with bacterial meningitis complains about limbs numbness or weakness, GBS should be considered, especially when the patient had diabetes mellitus (DM) history.

The Interleukin-10 Family of Cytokines and Their Role in the CNS

Resident cells of the central nervous system (CNS) play an important role in detecting insults and initiating protective or sometimes detrimental host immunity. At peripheral sites, immune responses follow a biphasic course with the rapid, but transient, production of inflammatory mediators giving way to the delayed release of factors that promote resolution and repair. Within the CNS, it is well known that glial cells contribute to the onset and progression of neuroinflammation, but it is only now becoming apparent that microglia and astrocytes also play an important role in producing and responding to immunosuppressive factors that serve to limit the detrimental effects of such responses. Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is generally considered to be the quintessential immunosuppressive cytokine, and its ability to resolve inflammation and promote wound repair at peripheral sites is well documented. In the present review article, we discuss the evidence for the production of IL-10 by glia, and describe the ability of CNS cells, including microglia and astrocytes, to respond to this suppressive factor. Furthermore, we review the literature for the expression of other members of the IL-10 cytokine family, IL-19, IL-20, IL-22 and IL-24, within the brain, and discuss the evidence of a role for these poorly understood cytokines in the regulation of infectious and sterile neuroinflammation. In concert, the available data indicate that glia can produce IL-10 and the related cytokines IL-19 and IL-24 in a delayed manner, and these cytokines can limit glial inflammatory responses and/or provide protection against CNS insult. However, the roles of other IL-10 family members within the CNS remain unclear, with IL-20 appearing to act as a pro-inflammatory factor, while IL-22 may play a protective role in some instances and a detrimental role in others, perhaps reflecting the pleiotropic nature of this cytokine family. What is clear is that our current understanding of the role of IL-10 and related cytokines within the CNS is limited at best, and further research is required to define the actions of this understudied family in inflammatory brain disorders.

Human Listeriosis Presenting as Breast Abscess: Report of a Rare Case

An abscess is defined as a collection of pus in various tissues of the body including skin and other organs. Abscesses most commonly are formed on the skin under the armpits, groin areas, and rectal areas. Most abscesses involve microbial infections with few remaining sterile. The treatment of abscesses includes both medical and surgical intervention. In the era of multidrug resistance, isolation and identification of the causative microbe and testing for antimicrobial susceptible patterns assume greater significance for the better management of patients, thereby reducing the resultant morbidity and mortality. Listeria spp. are a group of aerobic and non-spore forming gram-positive bacilli. They are present in the environment, soil, and water. Listeria spp. have also been noted to be present as a normal intestinal flora of animals. They are known for their ability to thrive under both cold and hot environmental conditions. Human infections with Listeria spp. have not been frequently reported, mostly because of the difficulty in laboratory identification and complex clinical presentations. In humans, Listeria spp. have been frequently responsible for food poisoning and neonatal meningitis. Although not considered as a classic pathogen, Listeria spp. are associated with infections in elderly people, pregnant women, newborns, and persons with weakened immune systems. This report presents a case of breast abscess caused by Listeria spp. in a young lactating female belonging to rural India.