In plain words
Listeriosis is the infection caused by . Most people get it from food that was contaminated and kept too long in the fridge. In most adults, it causes only mild symptoms, such as fever, muscle aches, or an upset stomach. In pregnancy, a mild illness can still reach the baby. It can cause , , premature birth, or a serious infection in a newborn. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tracks about 1,600 cases a year in the United States, and about 260 deaths. Because symptoms can be mild, a fever during pregnancy is a reason to tell a provider. A fever with muscle aches, or a fever after eating a food that is a known risk, is a reason to call the same day.
The deeper version
Listeriosis is an invasive infection with an incubation period that can span days to several weeks. Maternal disease is often a febrile prodrome. Fetal infection, through transplacental spread, can produce , fetal demise, or granulomatosis infantiseptica. CDC FoodNet surveillance estimates about 1,600 cases and about 260 deaths per year in the United States. Pregnancy-associated infection is a recognized route to fetal and neonatal disease. Antibiotic treatment is standard for confirmed infection, and clinicians weigh whether to treat a febrile pregnant person with a compatible exposure before results return. The controversy concerns the threshold for empiric treatment, and how to balance treating possible infection against unnecessary treatment.
Where it comes up
- Food safety: listeria, mercury, raw foodsPregnancy: Eating
- Stocking the freezer before birthNourishment and Traditions
- Bone brothNourishment and Traditions
- What to eat in pregnancy: the short versionPregnancy: Eating
What mothers here say about listeriosis
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Sources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet): Listeria surveillance