Antibiotic treatment for bacterial meningitis caused by Listeria monocytogenes in a patient with multiple myeloma.

Multiple myeloma is a hematolymphoid malignancy, and patients with this disorder are frequently complicated by infection. An 80-year-old woman with multiple myeloma was complicated by bacterial meningitis, and was admitted to our hospital in August 2007. She initially received ceftriaxone, but culture of cerebrospinal fluid detected Listeria monocytogenes. Ampicillin was administered, but headache and pyrexia persisted for 2 weeks, and on cerebrospinal fluid examination, the proliferation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes had not resolved. After medication with meropenem was started, the clinical symptoms completely disappeared, and the abnormalities on cerebrospinal fluid examination resolved. The patient ultimately received meropenem for 27 days, resulting in a cure. In conclusion, meropenem is useful to treat bacterial meningitis caused by L. monocytogenes. This agent is indicated when ampicillin shows inadequate effect or if the patient has an allergy to ampicillin.