Listeriosis in Newborns

Pregnant women with listeriosis may show no symptoms, or they may have symptoms resembling the flu (for example, chills, fever, and muscle aches).

In fetuses and newborns, symptoms of listeriosis are like those of sepsis Sepsis in Newborns Sepsis is a serious bodywide reaction to infection spread through the blood. Newborns with sepsis appear generally ill—they are listless, do not feed well, often have a gray color, and may have... read more (a blood infection) and include listlessness and poor feeding. Symptoms may appear within hours or days of birth (called early onset) or may be delayed up to several weeks (called late onset). Newborns who have symptoms that appear early frequently have a low birth weight, problems at delivery, and symptoms of sepsis soon after birth. Newborns who have symptoms that appear late are usually full-term and initially healthy but then develop meningitis Meningitis in Children Bacterial meningitis is a serious infection of the layers of tissue covering the brain and spinal cord ( meninges). Bacterial meningitis in older infants and children usually results from bacteria... read more (a brain infection) or sepsis.

Other common complications of listeriosis include miscarriage Miscarriage A miscarriage is the loss of a fetus before 20 weeks of pregnancy. Miscarriages may occur because of a problem in the fetus (such as a genetic disorder or birth defect) or in the woman (such... read more , preterm delivery Preterm (Premature) Newborns A preterm newborn is a baby delivered before 37 weeks of gestation. Depending on when they are born, preterm newborns have underdeveloped organs, which may not be ready to function outside of... read more with intra-amniotic infection Intraamniotic Infection Intraamniotic infection is infection of the tissues around the fetus, such as the fluid that surrounds the fetus (amniotic fluid), the placenta, the membranes around the fetus, or a combination... read more , and stillbirth Stillbirth Stillbirth is death of a fetus after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Stillbirth may result from a problem in the woman, placenta, or fetus. Doctors do blood tests to try to identify the cause of a stillbirth... read more .

In pregnant women who have a fever, samples of blood, material from the cervix, and amniotic fluid may be removed and tested for Listeria monocytogenes.

If a newborn is sick, samples of blood and spinal fluid (obtained with a spinal tap—see figure How a Spinal Tap Is Done How a Spinal Tap Is Done ) are collected and tested for Listeria monocytogenes. If a newborn is sick and the mother definitely had listeriosis, samples of blood and spinal fluid in addition to fluid from the stomach, meconium (fecal material that is produced in the intestine before birth), and infected tissues are also collected and tested for Listeria monocytogenes.

The samples are sent to a laboratory to grow (culture) the bacteria or to undergo the polymerase chain reaction Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) Genetic diagnostic technologies are scientific methods that are used to understand and evaluate an organism's genes. (See also Genes and Chromosomes.) Genes are segments of deoxyribonucleic... read more (PCR) test. The PCR test looks for the genetic material of the bacteria and enables doctors to rapidly identify the bacteria. Identifying the bacteria in a sample confirms the diagnosis.

About 10 to 50% of newborns with listeriosis die. The death rate is higher among newborns who have early-onset listeriosis.

Pregnant women should avoid the types of foods that are more likely to be contaminated by Listeria monocytogenes. Foods to avoid include unpasteurized dairy products, soft cheeses, raw vegetables, prepared deli meats and salads, refrigerated meat spreads, and smoked seafood. Proper food handling, in particular separating uncooked meats from other items during preparation, and washing hands, utensils, and cutting boards after handling uncooked foods are critical.

If listeriosis is diagnosed during pregnancy, doctors may treat pregnant women before delivery or at delivery with antibiotics to help prevent transmission, but the usefulness of such treatment is unproved.

Newborns are given the antibiotic ampicillin plus another antibiotic from the class of drugs called aminoglycosides Aminoglycosides Aminoglycosides are a class of antibiotics used to treat serious bacterial infections, such as those caused by gram-negative bacteria (especially Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Aminoglycosides... read more .

Newborns who also have sepsis Sepsis in Newborns Sepsis is a serious bodywide reaction to infection spread through the blood. Newborns with sepsis appear generally ill—they are listless, do not feed well, often have a gray color, and may have... read more require antibiotics and other treatments Treatment Sepsis is a serious bodywide reaction to infection spread through the blood. Newborns with sepsis appear generally ill—they are listless, do not feed well, often have a gray color, and may have... read more .