Abstract
Seventy-four cases of systemic listeriosis occurring from 1971 to 1989 in the greater Helsinki area in Finland are reviewed with a special interest in the effect of preceding immunosuppressive therapy on the clinical presentation. Of these patients, 66% had an underlying disease, most commonly malignancy, diabetes mellitus, or renal transplantation, and 43% had received immunosuppressive therapy within 1 week before onset of listeriosis. Bacteremia and central nervous system infections (both in 43% of cases) were the most common clinical entities. The percentage of patients with meningitis was not greater among immunosuppressed patients (13/32, 41%) than among patients with underlying diseases not treated with immunosuppressive agents (9/16, 56%) or among previously healthy nonpregnant hosts (7/11, 64%). Immunosuppressed patients did not die more frequently than did those with underlying diseases not treated with immunosuppressive therapy (case fatality rate, 29% vs. 38%, respectively). However, all previously healthy non-neonatal patients survived, whereas 32% (15/47) of those with any kind of underlying disease succumbed.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Adolescent
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Adult
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Aged
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Alanine Transaminase / blood
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Aminoglycosides
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Ampicillin / therapeutic use
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Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
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Aspartate Aminotransferases / blood
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Bacteremia / drug therapy
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Bacteremia / etiology*
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Bacteremia / immunology
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Blood Sedimentation
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Child
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Child, Preschool
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Diabetes Complications
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Drug Therapy, Combination / therapeutic use
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Female
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Gastroenteritis / drug therapy
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Gastroenteritis / etiology
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Gastroenteritis / immunology
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Humans
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Immunosuppression Therapy*
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Infant
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Infant, Newborn
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Kidney Transplantation
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Listeriosis / drug therapy
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Listeriosis / etiology*
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Listeriosis / immunology
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Meningitis, Listeria / drug therapy
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Meningitis, Listeria / etiology*
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Meningitis, Listeria / immunology
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Middle Aged
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Neoplasms / complications
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Penicillin G / therapeutic use
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Piperacillin / therapeutic use
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Pregnancy
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Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / drug therapy
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Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / etiology
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Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / immunology
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Treatment Outcome
Substances
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Aminoglycosides
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Anti-Bacterial Agents
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Ampicillin
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Aspartate Aminotransferases
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Alanine Transaminase
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Penicillin G
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Piperacillin