J Korean Rheum Assoc.  2005 Jun;12(2):126-131.

Listeria monocytogenes Bacteremia in a Patient with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

• Ahn CM
• Park MC
• Lee SW
• Shim JM
• Lee KM
• Park YB
• Lee SK
• Yong DE

Abstract

We report a 43-year old woman of Listeria monocytogenes bacteremia associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). She had been treated with glucocorticoid pulse therapies and a cyclophosphamide pulse therapy for relapsed lupus nephritis class IV. After the immunosuppressive treatment, she complained of fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Diffuse edematous thickening of bowel wall was seen on abdominal CT scan and Listeria monocytogenes was identified on blood culture study. After antibiotic therapy that lasted for more than 4 weeks, her presenting symptoms were resolved and no more Listeria monocytogenes was identified on follow-up culture studies. Infection with Listeria monocytogenes, a rare food-borne illness, can be life-threatening with high fatality rates and is known to occur more frequently in immunocompromised patients, including those receiving high-dose glucocorticoid or immunosuppressive therapy for collagen vascular disease. In Korea, a case of Listeria meningitis was reported, but a case of bacteremia caused by Listeria monocytogenes enteritis has never been reported in SLE patients. Thus, we report a case of Listeria monocytogenes bacteremia that occurred due to food poisoning after aggressive immunosuppressive treatment in a patient with SLE.

Keyword

Systemic lupus erythematosus; Listeria monocytogenes; Enteritis; Bacteremia

MeSH Terms

Abdominal Pain
Adult
Bacteremia*
Collagen
Cyclophosphamide
Diarrhea
Enteritis
Female
Fever
Follow-Up Studies
Foodborne Diseases
Humans
Immunocompromised Host
Korea
Listeria monocytogenes*
Listeria*
Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic*
Lupus Nephritis
Meningitis, Listeria
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Vascular Diseases
Vomiting
Collagen
Cyclophosphamide