Listeria meningitis in an immunocompetent child.

We report a case of Listeria monocytogenes meningitis in an apparently healthy 3-year-old boy. This is the first case reported in English literature where adequate evaluation of immune status did not reveal an immunologic defect. The patient is in the age group least affected by an opportunistic organism and has been living in a district known for a high incidence of Listeria in livestock. The epidemiologic implication of this observation is discussed.