Focal peritonitis as a form of clinical presentation of listeriosis

Infections by germs of Listeria genus can occur sporadically or in epidemic outbreaks and have different clinical presentations. Abdominal origin is very unusual among them, especially in no immunocompromised patients or without concurrent liver illness. We present a young healthy man who is lacking in underlying diseases, suffering from focal peritonitis caused by Listeria monocytogenes. The patient had to be operated on, requiring immediate colectomy and evacuation of a retroperitoneal abscess. The postoperative evolution was favorable under antibiotic treatment with amoxicillin and clavulanic acid during 3 weeks. The clinical-epidemiological and therapeutic aspects of listeriosis are analysed in the discussion, giving special attention to abdominal infective episodes.