LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES, A CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY

  • Sana Fatima Dogar Department of Pathology, Shalamar Institute of Health Sciences
  • Mariam Danish Iqbal Microbiology, Shalamar Institute of Health Sciences
  • Abdul Ahad Doctor
  • Khizer Aftab Ali Khan Department of Pathology, Shalamar Institute of Health Sciences
  • Tariq Mahmud Tariq Microbiology, Shalamar Institute of Health Sciences
  • Anum Hafeez Shalamar Institute of Health Sciences
Keywords: Listeria monocytogenes, Meningitis, Encephalitis, Antibiotics, Case report

Abstract

A 74 years old female patient who was a known case of Diabetes Mellitus, Hypertension, and Breast Cancer presented in the Accident and Emergency Department with complaints of fever, seizures, and an altered state of consciousness. The patient was febrile with a temperature of 40° C, blood pressure was 140/80 mmHg, and pulse was 90 beats/min. She was in an altered state of consciousness with a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 10/15. The rest of the physical examination was unremarkable. The pleomorphic nature of this bacterium and clinical presentation similar to meningitis caused by other micro-organisms make the laboratory and clinical diagnosis respectively rather difficult. We illustrate the clinical presentation, antibiotic therapy, and laboratory diagnosis of L.monocytogenes in a patient with weak immune status. A high clinical suspicion of Listeriosis is essential for prompt and accurate treatment if a case of meningitis is not responding to traditional empirical antibiotics, and especially in immunocompromised.

Author Biographies

Sana Fatima Dogar , Department of Pathology, Shalamar Institute of Health Sciences

Senior Demonstrator 

Mariam Danish Iqbal, Microbiology, Shalamar Institute of Health Sciences

Assistant Professor

Khizer Aftab Ali Khan, Department of Pathology, Shalamar Institute of Health Sciences

Demonstrator

Tariq Mahmud Tariq, Microbiology, Shalamar Institute of Health Sciences

Assistant Professor

Anum Hafeez , Shalamar Institute of Health Sciences

Senior Demonstrator

Published
2022-12-26