LISTERIOSIS

Intrauterine Listeria monocytogenes infection may result in abortion early in gestation and stillbirth later on or congenital infection with early neonatal death. Newborn acquiring Listeria late in pregnancy or during birth manifest diverse clinical signs ranging from septicemia to focal skin lesions. Two clinical syndromes: • the first with early onset presents in the first two days of life and is characterized by septicemia and high mortality rate; • the second form (late onset) presents after the fifth day of life and represents infection acquired during delivery or postnatally – with meningitis or meningoencephalitis. The diagnosis of listeriosis is suggested by the clinical picture and gram stain vizualization of listeria, a grampositive bacteria. Treatment of listeriosis is most often initiated with a combination of ampicillin and an aminoglycoside – gentamicin. The outcome is favorable in most cases, the exception being the cases with fulminant sepsis and meningoencephalitis often complicated by disseminated intravascular coagulation and bleeding