Listeriosis in pregnancy: diagnosis, treatment, and prevention

Abstract

Listeriosis is a rare disease that causes mild maternal illness, but can be devastating to the fetus. Listeria's rare microbiologic features make it a difficult infection to diagnose and treat: it is an intracellular organism that hides within host cells. Because of the potentially severe consequences, it is important that obstetricians are familiar with the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of listerial infection.

Keywords: Fetal listerial infection; Intracellular transmission; Listeriosis; Neonatal listerial infection.

Figure 1

Listeria monocytogenes. Image courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Public Health Image Library (http://phil.cdc.gov/phil/home.asp).

Figure 2

The intracellular transmission of Listeria monocytogenes. Listeria can multiply and spread without exposure to antibodies, neutrophils, or antibiotics in the extracellular fluid. Reproduced with permission from Southwick FS and Purich DL, © 1996 Massachusetts Medical Society. All rights reserved.