A rapidly fatal sepsis caused by listeria monocytogenes type-4b in a patient with chronic renal failure

Abstract

Introduction: Listeria monocytogenes is a significant zoonosis causing invasive infections in the susceptible persons. The current paper presented a patient who died due to a rapidly-progressing multiple organ failure (MOF) as a result of severe sepsis caused by L. monocytogenes.

Case presentation: A 70-years-old patient with chronic renal failure was admitted to the infectious diseases clinic due to diarrhea for one day. He was hospitalized and the body fluid samples were collected for laboratory analyses. Within few hours, his vital findings worsened, and he developed respiratory arrest. Ceftriaxone and gentamycin were administrated. However, he died due to disseminated intravascular coagulation, septic shock and meningoencephalitis at the 22nd hour of admission. Causative agent was identified as L. monocytogenes serotype-4b in post-mortem period.

Discussion: L. monocytogenes can cause progressive and rapidly fatal infections in the vulnerable persons, with multisystem involvement. Since this bacterium is not susceptible to cephalosporines, it will be better to consider effective antimicrobials in the treatment of the possible cases.

Keywords: Listeria Monocytogenes; Renal Failure; Sepsis.