Increased prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in the faeces of patients receiving long-term H2-antagonists

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Abstract
Human listeriosis is an uncommon infection caused by the Grampositive organism Listeria rnonocytogenes. To investigate the effects of therapeutic gastric acid suppression on faecal isolation of L. monocytogenes and the incidence of human listeriosis. Five stool specimens from each of 20 patients on continuous H2-antagonist therapy and two faecal samples from each of 47 healthy controls were investigated for the presence of Listeria spp. A higher faecal isolation rate of L. monocytogenes was detected amongst the patients (20%) compared with the controls (2.1%) (P<0.025). All subjects with stools positive for Listeria spp. were female, this sex difference being significant in the patient group (P<0.0036) compared with controls. No patient, however, developed listeriosis. Patients on long-term gastric acid suppressive therapy may be at increased risk of faecal carriage of L. monocytogenes.

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