Listerial meningitis in a patient with undiagnosed acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: ampicillin should be added to the empirical antibiotic coverage.
Emerg Med J
; 23(9): e50, 2006 Sep.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-16921071
ABSTRACT
Meningitis is an important differential diagnosis in patients with fever, headache, and/or altered consciousness in the emergency department (ED). With human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection becoming increasingly common, patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) need to be recognised promptly to facilitate the choice of appropriate antibiotic therapy for potential opportunistic infections. Physicians should be able to recognise a patient with undiagnosed AIDS who presents to the ED and perform further confirmational tests without violating the rights of the patient. Additional tests focusing on discovering potential opportunistic pathogens should be performed. Ampicillin should be added to the empirical regimen for the coverage of Listeria meningocerebritis, which should be considered in all potentially immunocompromised hosts with suggestive clinical presentations. Failure to recognise patients with AIDS and provide antibiotics active against L monocytogenes in such hosts may lead to a catastrophic outcome.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections
/
Ampicillin
/
Meningitis, Listeria
/
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Type of study:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Etiology_studies
Limits:
Adult
/
Humans
/
Male
Language:
En
Journal:
Emerg Med J
Journal subject:
MEDICINA DE EMERGENCIA
Year:
2006
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Taiwán