Listeriosis in Pregnancy

AbstractPurpose of this reviewOptimal 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 findingsPregnant 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.SummaryPregnant 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 forListeria 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.
Source: Current Treatment Options in Infectious Diseases - Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research