Write An Essay On Invasive Listeria Monocytogene

Listeria Monocytogene is a gram positive rod shaped organism which can cause serious infections like meningitis, invasive gastroenteritis and endocarditis. Every year 1600 people in United States get affected, with significant mortality of 260 people annually. Listeria gastroenteritis has the third highest mortality rate among all the food born infection. Invasive listeriosis most commonly affect Pregnant women, extreme of ages, people with co morbid disease and weakened immune response. We here present a rare case of invasive listeria gastroenteritis in a 83 year old female with multiple co morbid conditions who presented with altered mental status and diarrhea. High index of suspicion is the key to ensure timely initiation of appropriate empirical treatment in the setting of invasive gastroenteritis especially people who has high risk factors …show more content…
L monocytogenes is a motile, non–spore-forming, gram-positive rod that has aerobic and facultatively anaerobic characteristics [2]. Our patient’s advance age, history of diabetes mellitus and other multiple co morbid condition with suggestive clinical presentation were the clues for early suspicion of invasive listeria gastroenteritis.
Most common symptoms of invasive gastroenteritis due to Listeria Monocytogene are fever, diarrhea, arthromyalgia and headache. In most cases, atleast one gastrointestinal symptoms including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain is present. Diarrhea is typically non bloody and watery stool with an average of 10 to 12 stools in 24 hours. Bloody diarrhea is rare and noted in only 3% of cases. Fatigue and sleepiness is present in 63% and 83% of cases respectively[2,3,4]. Rare complication of listeria gastroenteritis is invasive disease with positive blood culture which can lead to severe sepsis and