Two regions of northern Spain, Gipuzkoa, and Cantabria present high annual incidence of listeriosis (1.86 and 1.71 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, respectively). We report that the high annual incidences are a consequence of infection with highly virulent Listeria monocytogenes isolates linked to fatal outcomes in elderly patients with cancer. In addition, listeriosis patients with cancer present low IL-17A/IL-6 ratios and significantly reduced levels of anti-GAPDH1-22 antibodies, identified as two novel biomarkers of poor prognosis. Analysis of these biomarkers may aid in reducing the incidence of listeriosis. Moreover, GAPDH1-22-activated monocyte-derived dendritic cells of listeriosis patients with cancer seem useful tools to prepare clinical vaccines as they produce mainly Th1 cytokines.
Keywords: Listeria; listeriosis; zoonoses.