All issues > Volume 35(10); 1992

Case Report

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1992;35(10):1419-1426. Published online October 15, 1992.

Three Cases of Listeria Infection in the Immunocompromised Children

Mee Ran MR Kim¹, Bo Young BY Yun¹, Hye Young HY Kang¹, Sung Hee SH Jang¹, Hoan Jong HJ Lee¹, Yong Seung YS Hwang¹, Eui Chong EC Kim²

¹Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
²Department of Clinical Pathology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

Abstract

Infection by Listeria monocytogenes, an uncommon pathogen in immunocompromised host, has been reported in neonates, pregnant women and adults with defective cell mediated immunity but not in children in Korea. It can cause sepsis, meningitis, abortion, premature labor, intrauterine fetal infection. etc. We have experienced L. monocytogenes sepsis and/or meningitis in three children under immunosuppresive therapy for lymphoma-leukemia, cytophagic histiocytic panniculitis, or juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Two of them recovered with ampicillin and gentamicin over three weeks.

Keywords :Listeria monocytogenes, Meningitis, Sepsis, Immunocompromised children