- Overview of Infections in Newborns
- Sepsis in Newborns
- Hospital-Acquired Infections in Newborns
- Pneumonia in Newborns
- Bacterial Meningitis in Newborns
- Listeriosis in Newborns
- Conjunctivitis in Newborns
- Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) Infection in Newborns
- Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) Infection in Newborns
- Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Infection in Newborns
- Rubella in Newborns
- Syphilis in Newborns
- Toxoplasmosis in Newborns
- Tuberculosis (TB) in Newborns
Listeriosis is infection caused by the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes.
Topic Resources
Listeriosis in newborns can be acquired in the womb or during or after delivery.
Symptoms vary but may include listlessness and poor feeding.
The diagnosis is confirmed by identifying the bacteria in a sample of blood or other material taken from the newborn and from the mother.
Antibiotics can cure the infection.
This infection is fatal in some newborns.
Pregnant people should avoid certain foods and properly wash their hands and kitchen equipment after handling uncooked foods.
(See also Overview of Infections in Newborns and Listeriosis in adults.)
The Listeria monocytogenes bacteria resides in the intestine of some people and many animals worldwide. Unlike many other organisms, it survives well at refrigerator and freezer temperatures.
Pregnant people can become infected if they eat contaminated food. These foods include unpasteurized dairy products (such as milk and soft cheeses); prepared deli meats and salads, particularly if they contain poultry; and other foods such as raw vegetables, uncooked fruit, and ice cream. Fetuses become infected if Listeria monocytogenes crosses the placenta (the organ that provides nourishment to the fetus) during pregnancy. Newborns may become infected during or after delivery.
Symptoms of Listeriosis in Newborns
Pregnant people with listeriosis may show no symptoms, or they may have symptoms resembling the flu (for example, chills, fever, and muscle aches).
In fetuses, common complications of listeriosis include miscarriage, preterm delivery with intra-amniotic infection, and stillbirth.
In newborns, symptoms of listeriosis are like those of sepsis (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 (a brain infection) or sepsis.
Diagnosis of Listeriosis in Newborns
Testing of blood and other fluids taken from pregnant people and newborns
In pregnant people 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) are collected and tested for Listeria monocytogenes. If a newborn is sick and the mother definitely has 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), placenta, umbilical cord, 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 (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.
Treatment of Listeriosis in Newborns
Antibiotics
Newborns are given the antibiotic ampicillin plus another antibiotic from the class of medications called Newborns are given the antibiotic ampicillin plus another antibiotic from the class of medications calledaminoglycosides.
Newborns who also have sepsis require antibiotics and other treatments.
Prognosis for Listeriosis in Newborns
Listeriosis is fatal in approximately 7 to 29% of affected newborns. The fatality rate is higher among newborns who have early-onset listeriosis.
Prevention of Listeriosis in Newborns
Pregnant people 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 people before delivery or at delivery with antibiotics to help prevent transmission to a fetus.
