A CASE OF SUCCESSFULLY TREATED LISTERIA MENINGITIS IN AN IMMUNOSUPPRESSED ELDERLY: ROLE OF GRAM STAIN IN MODIFYING ANTIMICROBIAL THERAPY

Dr.Subhranshu Mandal; Dr.Pragati Sinha; Dr. Saikat Pal; Dr. Debkishore Gupta

Volume : VII, Issue : XII, December - 2018

A CASE OF SUCCESSFULLY TREATED LISTERIA MENINGITIS IN AN IMMUNOSUPPRESSED ELDERLY: ROLE OF GRAM STAIN IN MODIFYING ANTIMICROBIAL THERAPY

Dr. Subhranshu Mandal, Dr. Pragati Sinha, Dr. Saikat Pal, Dr. Debkishore Gupta

Abstract :

An 81 yrs old hypertensive, diabetic male presented in obtunded state with history of high grade fever, headache for 2 days and signs of meningism. He was a known case of temporal arteritis taking high dose of steroid. CSF study suggested bacterial meningitis. CSF gram stain showed gram positive bacilli. A high suspicion for Listeria was made and ampicillin was added. Patient gradually improved and discharged in stable condition with oral ampicillin and cotrimoxazole. Listeria monocytogenes should always be suspected if there is bacterial meningitis in old and immunosuppressed patient supported by the presence of gram positive bacilli in CSF.