Listeria monocytogenes bacteremia in a twin pregnancy with differential outcome: fetus papyraceus and a full-term delivery

Abstract

A 41-year-old Saudi woman, gravida 7, para 5, aborta 1 with sickle cell disease at week 12 of gestation of diamniotic dichorionic twin pregnancy was admitted with fever. Blood cultures grew Listeria monocytogenes. She was treated with intravenous ampicillin and had death of one of the fetuses after 10 days. An ultrasound at 19 weeks of gestation showed a normal intrauterine gestation and the presence of significantly collapsed second twin gestational sac consistent with fetal papyraceus. At 37 weeks of gestation, she had a cesarean section and a full-term baby was delivered. We describe the case and review the literature on pregnancy-associated listeriosis.