A man in the Lviv region fell ill with a rare disease: the cause has not yet been determined
2 May 16:02
At the Lviv Regional Infectious Diseases Hospital, doctors are treating a man with a rare infectious brain condition. The condition is listerial meningoencephalitis, caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. Tamila Aleksanyan, head of the diagnostic department at the Lviv Regional Infectious Diseases Hospital, described the severe case, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
According to the infectious disease specialist, the patient is 57 years old and is from the Drohobych district. He was admitted to the hospital with suspected flu or pneumonia about two weeks ago. The illness began with a high fever and a sore throat. He arrived at the hospital in serious condition.
“He was admitted with suspected flu and pneumonia, but after a detailed examination, we saw that it was a brain disease—meningoencephalitis. Due to his deteriorating condition, the patient was transferred to the intensive care unit, underwent a lumbar puncture, and had cerebrospinal fluid and blood cultured. It later became clear that the pathogen would be unusual, not run-of-the-mill,” said Tamila Aleksanyan, head of the diagnostic department at the Lviv Regional Infectious Diseases Hospital.
Subsequent laboratory tests confirmed a rare pathogen—Listeria monocytogenes. According to the doctor, the man’s diagnosis is quite rare and severe, and can lead to disability and carries a high risk of mortality.
“We managed to stabilize him. The patient is already feeling better; yesterday he was transferred out of the intensive care unit. His condition is currently serious, but with significant improvement,” the hospital noted.
The man is currently continuing treatment. He still has a follow-up puncture and cerebrospinal fluid analysis ahead of him. Once his vital signs have normalized, the medical staff will decide on further treatment and discharge.
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The source of the infection has not yet been identified. However, according to doctors, Listeria bacteria are most often transmitted through contaminated food products. Unwashed vegetables, greens, and especially salad mixes can be potential risk factors.
“Such pathogens are primarily transmitted through the consumption of contaminated food. In particular, outbreaks have been reported in Europe following the consumption of packaged lettuce leaves, which are supposedly pre-washed. In reality, they must be washed under running water, even if the packaging states that they have been washed,” emphasized Tamila Aleksanyan.
She also added that before falling ill, the man had been vacationing at a resort and eating not only at home, so it is currently difficult to determine exactly where the infection might have occurred.
Listeriosis is a relatively rare but one of the most serious foodborne infectious diseases. It is caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. According to the WHO, the disease is uncommon, but due to the high proportion of severe cases, it poses a significant health threat.
In severe cases, the infection can spread beyond the intestines and cause sepsis, meningitis, or meningoencephalitis.
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