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Listeriosis in pregnancy: a challenge in diagnosis
  1. Nurul Iftida Basri
  1. Obstetrics & Gynaecology Department, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
  1. Correspondence to Dr Nurul Iftida Basri; nurul.iftida{at}upm.edu.my

Abstract

Listeriosis is a rare foodborne infection caused by Listeria monocytogenes. It has been reported to be commonly found among the obstetric population, immunocompromised group and elderly, presumably due to the lower immunity status in these populations. Presentation in pregnancy is usually non-specific like fever, diarrhoea, respiratory tract symptoms and preterm rupture of membrane. These make the diagnosis challenging and may delay the correct management. We present a case of a female in her early 40s, gravida 4 para 0+3 at 27 weeks who presented with fever. She later developed preterm rupture of membrane 24 hours after admission. The leaking of liquor later changed from clear to meconium stained raising the suspicion of listeria chorioamnionitis, necessitating an emergency preterm delivery via caesarean section. The newborn acquired listeria infection and required ventilation support. He subsequently was discharged from neonatal unit after nearly 3 months of life.

  • Foodborne infections
  • Pregnancy

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Footnotes

  • Contributors NIB was responsible for drafting of the text, sourcing and editing of clinical images, investigation results, drawing original diagrams and algorithms, and critical revision for important intellectual content.

  • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

  • Case reports provide a valuable learning resource for the scientific community and can indicate areas of interest for future research. They should not be used in isolation to guide treatment choices or public health policy.

  • Competing interests None declared.

  • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.