Listeriosis During Pregnancy and in Newborns: 18 Years of Data From a Large Tertiary Hospital in Singapore.

A 20-year retrospective review at a tertiary hospital in Singapore identified 11 cases of perinatal listeriosis in maternal-fetal pairs (incidence, 4.8 cases per 100 000 live births). Fever, meconium-stained amniotic fluid, and fetal akinesia during the third trimester were associated with listeriosis. In this study early directed antibiotic therapy resulted in favorable outcomes.

Awareness and Preventative Behaviours Regarding Toxoplasma, Listeria and Cytomegalovirus Among Pregnant Women

Aim Infection with toxoplasma, listeria and cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections can negatively affect pregnancy outcomes. Awareness of these infections, knowledge of preventive practices and pertinent behaviours was assessed. Methods A survey of patients at antenatal clinics in a Dublin maternity hospital was conducted over a six month period. Analysis was undertaken using SPSS. Results The response rate was 36% (287/800). One in two respondents were aware of toxoplasma, one in four of Listeria but only 1 in 10 of CMV. Overall, knowledge was highest among older, more educated pregnant women. Nativity had a significant effect on knowledge and behaviour, but increasing parity did not. However the majority practised key safe behaviours. Conclusion Information must be conveyed to pregnant women in a user friendly format and in a culturally sensitive way.

Clinical, Laboratory, and Placental Findings in Perinatal Listeriosis.

Clinical, laboratory, and placental manifestations of perinatal listeriosis are highly variable. Herein, we retrospectively analyzed all patients treated for neonatal listeriosis at the Charité University Medical Center in Berlin, Germany, 1999-2013. A total of 16 cases were identified. In 14 patients listeriosis was confirmed in neonatal specimens, while in two only the placenta tested positive. Elevated C-reactive protein and/or interleukin-6 levels were only inconsistently found, while a marked white blood cell left shift was present in all infants, if available. All but one infant manifested symptoms on the first day of life. Most patients required respiratory support, while none developed meningoencephalitis as evidenced by clinical or cerebrospinal fluid findings. Two patients died, all other patients survived without sequelae. In conclusion, perinatal listeriosis is still associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Clinical and laboratory findings are highly heterogeneous, but extreme leukocyte left shift seems to be a common feature.

Chorioamnionitis caused by Listeria monocytogenes: a case report of ultrasound features of fetal infection.

Maternal listeriosis is often associated with mild symptoms for the patient, but fetal infection can lead to severe adverse perinatal outcome. The most described antenatal symptoms are reduced fetal movements and an abnormal fetal heart rate trace. We present a case of fetal listeriosis suspected by ultrasound findings of fetal gastrointestinal compromise, neonatal diagnosis and outcome.

[Neonatal listeriosis]. / Listeriosis neonatal.

We present the case of a male with a neonatal Listeria monocytogenes infection. Its evolution was favorable with intravenous ampicillin and gentamicin. Listeriosis is an infrequent cause of neonatal pustulosis. The infection is acquired from the mother after bacteremia with few symptoms (early-onset forms) or while passing through an infected birth canal (late-onset forms). A cytological study and the quick stain technique make fast diagnosis of potentially serious neonatal pustuloses possible.

[Initial antibiotic therapy in maternal-fetal infections which include ampicillin even in countries where listeriosis is an incidental disease]. / L'antibiothérapie initiale des infections materno-foetales doit inclure l'ampicilline même dans les pays où la listériose est exceptionnelle.

Neonatal listeriosis is an exceptional disease in Northern Africa. Hence, protocols for maternal-fetal infection treatment include only a third generation cephalosporin and an aminoside. This protocol does not take into account the possibility of Listeria monocytogenes infection. We report a fatal case of neonatal listeriosis in Tunisia. The use of first antibiotics in maternal-foetal infection must be reconsidered when lacking sufficient bacteriological data and include systematically ampicillin in presumptive antibiotic protocols.

[Clinical and laboratory diagnosis of Listeria monocytogenes on the basis of own investigations]. / Diagnostyka kliniczna i laboratoryjna zakazen Listeria monocytogenes. Badania wlasne.

The authors have described the issues surrounding Listeria monocytogenes infection with reference to cases diagnosed and managed during the 5-year period (1995-2000) in the Clinical Department of Neonatal Pathology and Intensive Care of the National Institute of Mother and Child in Warsaw. Four cases of congenital listeriosis have been diagnosed. Some mothers presented with "flu-like" symptoms. All mothers delivered prematurely (29 hbd - 32 hbd). Among the 4 infants the most common clinical features were: perinatal asphyxia, respiratory distress, pathological icterus, haematologic abnormalities. Septicemia occurred in 50% of cases; pneumonia in 100%. Three of them presented skin manifestations; one of the neonates had mucosal abnormalities of the laryngopharynx. Cerebral sonography showed intracranial hemorrhage. One of the infants died within 7 days of birth. The other two neonates developed posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus. Only one infant has normal development. Although listeriosis appears to be not a frequent cause of perinatal infection, clinicians must be aware of Listeria, particularly in gravid patients who present with fever and "flu-like" illness and go into premature labour. Initial therapy implemented in our Department, with ampicillin and aminoglycosides seem to be the most appropriate.

Ultrasound features of congenital listeriosis--a case report.

We present a case of congenital listeriosis in a twin pregnancy. Presentation was prompted by decreased fetal movements and an ultrasound examination which demonstrated features similar to those observed in an adult with inflammatory conditions of the bowel, namely, small amounts of ascites, dilated loops of bowel and thickening of the bowel wall. Such ultrasound signs may be useful in consideration of the diagnosis of congenital infection and prompt diagnostic tests and appropriate interventions that assist in early therapy.

A case of congenital Listeria septicemia associated with high levels of inflammatory cytokines.

A case of congenital Listeria septicemia is reported. A 2256 g male infant suffering from respiratory and circulatory failure with shock-like symptoms and high levels of inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1 beta, -6, and -8), was admitted to the Morioka Red Cross Hospital. Listeria monocytogenes was cultured from cord blood, contents from the external ear canal, rectum and stomach. The infant was treated with surfactant replacement as well as conventional therapy. The high levels of interleukin-1 beta decreased with the improvement of the circulatory function, which might have been the major cause of the poor clinical state.

Congenital listeriosis: case reports and review of literature.

Four babies with congenital listeriosis were diagnosed in the Prince of Wales Hospital in Hong Kong in 1990-1991. Two died in the early neonatal period. The remaining 2 survived and recovered with no sequelae. The clinical and pathological features of these babies, together with those reported in the recent literature are highlighted so as to raise a high index of suspicion toward this disease and hopefully prompt treatment can be offered.

Listeriosis neonatal: A propósito de un caso / Neonatal listeriosis: a propos of a case

La listeriosis neonatal es una infección perinatal de gran interés, ya que su comportamiento clínico es similar al producido por el estreptococo del grupo B. La incidencia en nuestra población es baja y en parte se debe a las dificultades que existen en el reconocimiento bacteriológico del gérmen. La mortalidad perinatal asociada a esta infección es cercana al 70 por ciento en los casos de sepsis precoz y entre un 20 al 50 por ciento en la enfermedad tardía. Se presenta el caso de una sepsis precoz en un neonato masculino, a término , de un día de vida, producto de una primera gestación, madre de 42 años de edad, quien al momento del inicio del trabajo de parto presentó un proceso febril inespecífico, catalogado de origen viral. El recién ancido presentó shock séptico, dificultad respiratoria y trastornos metabólicos por lo cual ingresó en la Unidad de Terapia Intensiva Neonatal y le fue practicado hemocultivo que resultó positivo para Listeria monocytogenes. La evolución de este paciente fue completamente satisfactoria

Listeriosis of the placenta: clinicopathologic study of seven cases.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to evaluate the usefulness of placental examination in the diagnosis of prenatal listeriosis. STUDY DESIGN: Over a 7-year period, 4597 placentas with clinical indications for examination were retrospectively studied for morphologic evidence of listeriosis. The microbiology laboratory file records of positive Listeria monocytogenes cultures were used to confirm the diagnosis. The clinical records were studied for manifestations of the infection both in the neonates and in the mothers. RESULTS: Seven placentas were identified as having listeriosis. The presence of macroabscesses, as opposed to microabscesses, was the most characteristic finding in this study, and the silver impregnation method was more reliable in identification of the bacilli in the tissue sections than the tissue Gram stains. CONCLUSIONS: Listeriosis could be diagnosed by placental examination alone, and this examination frequently strengthened the clinical diagnosis. When the infection was not suspected clinically, the examination helped us reach the correct diagnosis.

[Neonatal listeriosis]. / Neonatale listeriosis.

During the period november 1988-december 1989 eight cases of early onset neonatal Listeria monocytogenes infection were registered in the 'Neonatal Intensive Care Unit' of the University Hospital in Leuven (Belgium). Before bacteriological proof was available, diagnosis could be made in 7 cases, based on a characteristic clinical picture: a maternal flu-like syndrome leading to preterm labour with intact membranes, meconium stained amniotic fluid, perinatal asphyxia and respiratory distress of the neonate. In 5 infants a maculopapulovesicular skin eruption was present. Laboratory findings were non-specific. An interesting finding was the predominance of monocytes in the endotracheal aspirate of infected infants. In 5 out of 8 patients meningitis and intraventricular hemorrhage were present; two of them died, three developed severe neurological sequelae.

[Perinatal listeriosis. A report of a case with a hydrocephalus outcome]. / Listeriosi perinatale. Descrizione di un caso con esito in idrocefalo.

Perinatal listeriosis is a disease whose incidence has increased constantly in recent years. Like neonatal infection determined by B hemolyticus streptococcus, the disease appears in two forms: the first is the septicaemic form with early onset, the second form is meningoencephalitic with late onset. We describe a case of listeriosis with immediate onset in which, in spite of the prompt therapy and the normality of rachiocentesis, developed a purulent ventriculitis with outcome in hydrocephalus.

[Asymptomatic and manifest forms of listeriosis in neonates]. / Asimptomatske i manifestne forme listerioze u novorodencadi.

Pointed out has been a danger of listeria monocytogenes infections, which is most frequently transplacentally transmitted from the mother to the baby. In such cases, it results in early, septic forms with disseminated abscesses and granulomas in many organs. A case with a positive outcome has been described. Infection incited during delivery or soon after it results in late, meningitic form of listeriosis, which is characterized with a high mortality outcome. Such a case that resulted in death has also been described. Three children infected by listeria remained asymptomatic. Pointed out has been the inevitability of antibiotic treatment of such children, too, to prevent listeria from developing septic meningitic form. Imperative to prevent nosocomial listeria infections in obstetric wards, which is a reality, are strict measures of hygiene.