Infection of Listeria monocytogenes associated to the Central Nervous System: cell pathogenesis, diagnosis and risk factors ; Infección de Listeria monocytogenes en el Sistema Nervioso Central: patogénesis celular, diagnóstico y factores de riesgo

Listeria monocytogenes (LM) is a common cause of Central Nervous System (CNS) infections, especially in immunosuppressed patients, infants, and elderly people. The fact that makes LM a dangerous bacterium is that it can easily evade the immune system and be transmitted by the fecal-oral route causing a malignancy called listeriosis. Nonetheless, the current incidence of a Listeria monocytogenes infection is 3-6 cases per million, but its prevalence has been increasing. These bacteria become especially pathogenic when infecting the CNS, the reason why neurolisteriosis can account for as much as half the cases of invasive listeriosis, the remaining cases being usually isolated bacteremia or disease in pregnancy. There is an ample list of risk factors related with listeriosis such us malignancies, alcoholism and/or liver disease, HIV/AIDS, or diabetes, but only some of them are closely interconnected with neurolisteriosis. These are the hormonal environment in pregnancy, aging, corticotherapy and immunosuppressive comorbidities. In this review we focus on the LM infection pathways and the main risk factors that let this bacteria act and generate nervous system-associated complications. ; La Listeria monocytogenes (LM) es una causa común de infecciones del Sistema Nervioso Central (SNC), especialmente en pacientes inmunodeprimidos, lactantes y ancianos. El hecho que convierte a la LM en una bacteria peligrosa es que puede evadir fácilmente el sistema inmunitario y transmitirse por vía fecal-oral causando una enfermedad llamada listeriosis. No obstante, la incidencia actual de una infección por Listeria monocytogenes es de 3 a 6 casos por millón, pero su prevalencia ha ido en aumento. Esta bacteria se vuelve especialmente patógena cuando infecta el SNC, razón por la cual la neurolisteriosis puede representar hasta la mitad de los casos de listeriosis invasiva, siendo el resto de casos generalmente bacteriemia aislada o enfermedad en el embarazo. Existe una amplia lista de factores de riesgo relacionados con la ...