Failure of thiamphenicol in a penicillin-allergic patient with Listeria meningoencephalitis--delayed cure following penicillin desensitization

Intensive Care Med. 1992;18(8):485-7. doi: 10.1007/BF01708586.

Abstract

A 27-year-old woman, without compromised immunodefenses, experienced a Listeria meningoencephalitis, with brainstem symptoms. The identified agent exhibited poor susceptibility to usual effective antibiotics, except for penicillins. Knowledge of past history of an allergic reaction to beta-lactam antibiotics lead to appropriate therapy after acute intravenous desensitization of the patient to amoxicillin. Treatment resulted in therapeutic administration rate over 24 h, and in rapid regression of clinical and biological disorders.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Amoxicillin / administration & dosage
  • Amoxicillin / adverse effects
  • Amoxicillin / therapeutic use*
  • Cerebrospinal Fluid / cytology
  • Cerebrospinal Fluid / microbiology
  • Desensitization, Immunologic / methods*
  • Drug Hypersensitivity / etiology*
  • Drug Hypersensitivity / prevention & control
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infusions, Intravenous
  • Injections, Spinal
  • Leukocyte Count
  • Listeriosis / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Listeriosis / drug therapy*
  • Listeriosis / microbiology
  • Meningoencephalitis / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Meningoencephalitis / drug therapy*
  • Meningoencephalitis / microbiology
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Serotyping
  • Sisomicin / administration & dosage
  • Sisomicin / therapeutic use
  • Thiamphenicol / administration & dosage
  • Thiamphenicol / therapeutic use*
  • Treatment Failure

Substances

  • Amoxicillin
  • Thiamphenicol
  • Sisomicin