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Listeriosis in Pregnancy

  • Bacterial Infections (H Bach, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Treatment Options in Infectious Diseases Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of this review

Optimal management of listeriosis is critical due to the potential for adverse obstetric and neonatal outcomes. The aim of this paper is to present recent scientific developments regarding listeriosis in pregnancy, including presentation, diagnosis, management, and prevention.

Recent findings

Pregnant individuals can be approximately 13–100 times more susceptible to this pathogen, which is concerning due to the potential for obstetric, fetal, and neonatal complications. Close to 25% of pregnancies complicated by listeriosis result in adverse consequences, including preterm labor and fetal death. About 30% of pregnant individuals are asymptomatic, which further complicates diagnosis and, therefore, medical management. Novel vaccines, drugs, drug targets, and an epidemiological surveillance system could aid in disease prevention and treatment, and the emergence of new probiotics appears promising.

Summary

Pregnant individuals should be educated on the risks of listeriosis. Also, clinicians should consider the challenges associated with the diagnosis of listeriosis: the pregnant individual can be asymptomatic, and cultures can be falsely negative for Listeria monocytogenes. Optimal management of listeriosis in pregnancy is dependent upon utilizing education, prevention measures, maintaining a high index of suspicion for disease, and prompt clinical management.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Medicine, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London, UK

    Theodora Germanopoulou

  2. School of Medicine, European University Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus

    Angela Ishak MD

  3. Division of Infectious Diseases, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Rhode Island Hospital, 593 Eddy Street, 328/330 POB, Providence, RI, 02903, USA

    Erica J. Hardy MD, MMSc, Jennie E. Johnson MD & Eleftherios Mylonakis MD

  4. Division of Obstetric Medicine, Women & Infants Hospital, Providence, RI, USA

    Erica J. Hardy MD, MMSc

  5. Department of Medicine, Houston Methodist, Houston, TX, 77030, USA

    Eleftherios Mylonakis MD

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  1. Theodora Germanopoulou
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  2. Angela Ishak MD
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  3. Erica J. Hardy MD, MMSc
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  4. Jennie E. Johnson MD
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  5. Eleftherios Mylonakis MD
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Correspondence to Eleftherios Mylonakis MD.

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Germanopoulou, T., Ishak, A., Hardy, E.J. et al. Listeriosis in Pregnancy. Curr Treat Options Infect Dis 15, 14–25 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40506-023-00262-x

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