CLINICO-EPIDEMIOLOGIC STUDY OF HUMAN LIST ERIOSIS IN BARCELONA (SPAIN) (1990-1991)

BACKGROUND: The alm of this study was to determine the incidence of hu man listeriosis in Barcelona in addition to its clinical form of prese ntation, seasonability, risk groups and evolution. METHODS: A prospect ive study of the cases of listeriosis registered in the city of Barcel ona, Spain (population of 1,643,542 inhabitants) over the period from January 1, 1990 to December 31, 1991 was carried out RESULTS: Fifty-fi ve cases were reviewed with a global rate of incidence of listeriosis of 9.4 per one million inhabitants per year with predominance being ob served in the summer months (39% in 1990, 42% in 1991). Ninety-one per cent of the cases were observed in non pregnant adults, with 86% of th e patients being immunosuppressed. Nosocomial listeriosis, diagnosed i n 23 patients (42%), was predominant in the group with immunosuppressi ve treatment (p = 0.0005). The main site of isolation was blood in 45 cases (82%), in the form of primary bacteremia in 30 cases (54%) with a significantly greater association with nosocomial listeriosis (p < 0 .0005). Global mortality was 49%, being greater in the group of patien ts with nosocomial infection (p = 0.01) and with primary bacteremia (p < 0.001). No patients without known risk factors or pertaining to the perinatal group have died. CONCLUSIONS: The use of an active system o f registration of listeriosis facilitates better knowledge of its inci dence, distribution and infection pattern thus allowing the early dete ction of epidemic outbreaks with the alm of controlling such an infect ion, given the social implications and morbidity of this disease.