Symptoms of listeria in pregnancy

To the Editor: Foodborne infections with Listeria monocytogenes continue to be dangerous and disruptive.

How soon can listeria be detected in blood

A 2011 outbreak in the United States, linked to cantaloupes, affected 147 persons; 33 persons died, and 1 pregnant woman experienced a miscarriage (1). Moreover, the incidence of listeriosis has been rising in several European countries (2).

Compared with the general population, pregnant women are at markedly increased risk of acquiring listeriosis (3). Women who are infected with L.

monocytogenes in the third trimester of pregnancy are typically treated with antimicrobial drugs until the child’s delivery (3). However, the optimal treatment regimen for listeriosis early in pregnancy is unknown.

We cared for a 28-year-old, previously healthy woman who sought treatment at 12 weeks’ gestational age with fever, headache, and neck stiffness; blood cultures were positive for L.

monocytogenes. Lumbar puncture on admission to our hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, in December 2011, revealed clear fluid and an opening pressure of 15 mm Hg; 1 leukocyte was observed per

how common is listeria in first trimester

is listeria dangerous in first trimester