Cerebral Abscess Caused by Listeria monocytogenes: Case Report and Literature Review

Abstract

Background Listeria monocytogenes is an opportunistic gram-positive, facultative intracellular bacterium that causes invasive diseases mostly in pregnant women and immunosuppressed patients. Despite the predilection toward the central nervous system (CNS), it usually causes meningitis and meningoencephalitis, whereas brain abscesses are very uncommon.

Case presentation We describe the case of a 69-year-old homeless patient with a brain abscess due to L. monocytogenes who was successfully treated surgically by a guided stereotactic aspiration and antibiotic therapy with ampicillin and gentamicin. Our patient was discharged after 4 weeks of therapy without neurologic deficits. Additionally, we provide a review of the literature of brain abscesses caused by L. monocytogenes.

Conclusions This case highlights the need to drain cerebral abscesses and culture pus to correctly treat patients with antibiotics, especially given the high mortality rate of this infectious entity.

Keywords

Listeria monocytogenes - brain abscess - meningitis - immunocompromised

Ethics Approval and Consent to Participate

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Consent for Publication

Written informed consent was obtained from the patient for publication.

Availability of Data and Materials

All data analyzed during the current study are included in this study and are available from the corresponding author.

Author's Contribution

DC, MT, KJB, ER, DW, JB, and OS treated the patient and contributed to the writing, review, and revision of the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

Publikationsverlauf

Eingereicht: 08. September 2020

Angenommen: 29. Dezember 2020

Artikel online veröffentlicht:
08. September 2021

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