Listeria monocytogenes: a rare, deadly cause of peritonitis

Invasive listeriosis is one of the most serious foodborne diseases, and can be categorised into three main clinical forms: septicaemic listeriosis, neurolisteriosis, and pregnancy-associated listeriosis.1 Listeria monocytogenes-associated spontaneous bacterial peritonitis is a very rare manifestation of listeriosis, which mostly occurs as a complication of long-standing ascites in patients with pre-existing chronic liver disease, such as cirrhosis or kidney disease. It can also occur in patients with cancer or undergoing peritoneal dialysis.