Enhancement of mice susceptibility to infection with Listeria monocytogenes by the treatment of morphine

The effect of morphine on the susceptibility of BALB/c mice to diarrheagenic Escherichia coli, Shigella flexneri, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella Enteritidis, Yersinia enterocolitica, was examined via the intraperitoneal inoculation. Morphine treatment increased the susceptibility to S. Enteritidis and L. monocytogenes, resulting in bacteremia and central nervous system (CNS) invasion (for L monocytogenes), while the infection with other bacteria did not show the systemic dissemination in the morphine-treated mice. Notably, L monocytogenes infection caused 100% mortality with a mean survival time (MST) of 1.3 days in morphine-treated mice, but untreated mice did not die. The present data suggested that individuals using heroin or treated with morphine derivatives might be at high risk for listeriosis, especially those who are immunocompromised. Recent increasing consumption of morphine may propose the necessity for further epidemiological surveillance on infectious diseases.