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Listeriosis

Michael Malone, MD and Joseph A Chafardon II, DO Reviewed 06/2022
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

  • An infection caused by the ubiquitous, weakly hemolytic, gram-positive bacillus Listeria monocytogenes; pathogenic to many species

  • Occurs most often in fetuses (disseminated infantile...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

  • Common symptoms: fever, watery diarrhea, nausea, headache, myalgias, joint aches

  • Severe headache, fever, stiff neck, seizures

  • Irritability, lethargy, poor feeding in neonates

  • Illness dur...

TREATMENT

MEDICATION

  • No definitive drug of choice or duration of therapy

  • Most healthy, nonpregnant individuals with suspected Listeria gastroenteritis require only supportive therapy.

  • Antibiotic resistan...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

Patient Monitoring

  • Vitals, temperature

  • Repeat lumbar puncture at 5 to 7 days in CNS-affected patients.

  • Repeat blood cultures if endocarditis.

  • Repeat imaging studies i...

REFERENCES

1
Schlech WF. Epidemiology and clinical manifestations of Listeria monocytogenes infection. Microbiol Spectr. 2019;7(3). doi: 10.1128/microbiolspec.GPP3-0014-2018.
2
Leber AL, Everhart K, Bala...

ADDITIONAL READING

CODES

ICD10

  • A32.9 Listeriosis, unspecified

  • P37.2 Neonatal (disseminated) listeriosis

  • A32.89 Other forms of listeriosis

  • A32.11 Listerial meningitis

  • A32.81 Oculoglandular listeriosis

  • A32.7 Listerial sepsis

  • A32...

CLINICAL PEARLS

  • Listeriosis is most common at the extremes of age.

  • In immunocompetent patients, 2 weeks of antibiotic therapy is sufficient for bacteremia. At least 3 weeks of therapy is required for C...

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