Table 2.
Comparison of episodes of acute community-acquired Lm meningitis versus other aetiologies
| Listeria monocytogenes (n = 43) | Other agents (n = 232) | p | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (median ± IQR) | 69 ± 30 | 56 ± 33 | 0.019 |
| Gender (male) | 24 (56) d | 128 (55) | 0.938 |
| Immunocompromised | 29 (67) | 86 (37) | <0.001 |
| Previous otitis | 1 (2.1) | 43 (19.5) | 0.005 |
| Fever | 39 (91) | 186 (84) | 0.246 |
| Headache | 29 (67) | 166 (77) | 0.146 |
| Vomiting | 20 (46) | 132 (57) | 0.070 |
| Neck stiffness | 30 (70) | 167 (72) | 0.204 |
| Classic Triad a | 21 (49) | 90 (39) | 0.533 |
| GCS b at admission (median ± IQR) | 13 ± 4 | 12 ± 4 | 0.664 |
| Seizures | 4 (9) | 17 (7) | 0.688 |
| Focal neurological deficit | 14 (32) | 27 (12) | 0.022 |
| Cerebellum dysfunction | 5 (12) | 5 (2) | <0.001 |
| Hyponatremia | 19 (44) | 60 (26) | 0.066 |
| Duration of symptoms in hours (median ± IQR) | 70 ± 53 | 48 ± 53 | 0.07 |
| WBC count CSF c (median ± IQR) | 550 ± 2480 | 2860 ± 9380 | 0.007 |
| CSF neutrophils ( median±IQR) | 70 ± 59 | 90 ± 13 | <0.001 |
| CSF/blood glucose (median ± IQR) | 0.26 ± 0.24 | 0.09 ± 0.26 | <0.001 |
| Protein level g/L ( median ± IQR) | 2.0 ± 1.96 | 3.68 ± 5.53 | <0.001 |
| Mortality | 12 (29) | 36 (16) | 0.059 |
a Triad of fever, neck stiffness and change in mental status.
b GCS: Glasgow Coma Scale.
c CSF: Cerebrospinal Fluid.
d Results are expressed as n (%) unless otherwise specified