Pregnant women have a higher susceptibility to intracellular pathogens such as L. Monocytogenes caused by a low progesterone-induced cellular immune response.

Listeriosis occurs primarily in the third quarter, but there is a possibility that its incidence at the lower age of pregnancy to be underestimated due to hesitation in the production of cultures from fetal tissue resulting from abortion.

Congenital listeriosis is a condition of septic nature, which does not induce malformations; in 70-80% of cases premature births are caused, while in the rest of cases in uterus may occur the fetus death.

Data from two studies report spontaneous abortions in 10-20% of cases and premature birth in 50% of cases, and fetal death in the uterus in about 11% of cases. Congenital listeriosis has an incidence of 8.6/100,000 births, being one of the most common causes of neonatal meningitis. The mortality rate is high: 20-60%. It is recommended that women with multiple spontaneous abortions be investigated for vaginal listeriosis.

Lamont RF, Sobel J, Mazaki-Tovi S, Kusanovic JP, Vaisbuch E, Kim SK, Uldbjerg N, Romero R. Listeriosis in Human Pregnancy: a systematic review. J. Rina Med. 2011; 39 (3): 277-236.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Preliminary FoodNet data on the incidence of infection with pathogens transmitted commonly through food, 2012. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2012; 62 (15): 283-287.

Although the pregnant manifestations caused by listeriosis are mild, congenital listeriosis is severe, potentially fatal. In newborn there are two distinct clinical forms.

Early post-partum congenital listeriosis usually ocurrs at 36 hours. Newborns are premature and present sepsis (81-88%), respiratory distress syndrome or pneumonia (38%), meningitis (24%) and rarely, “Granulomatosis infantisepticum”, Pathognomonic for listeriosis. It is often associated with chorioamnionitis. The prognosis is severe, with 75% mortality.

AR, Delgado. Listeriosis in pregnancy. J Midwifery Womens Health. 2008; 53:255-9.

Tardive neonatal listeriosis occurs between 5 days and 2-3 weeks post-partum, in children birth in-term from asymptomatic mothers is manifested with septicemia and meningitis.

The newborn Listeria represents one of the three etiologic agents for neo-natal meningitis.

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