Listeria Infections in Neonates

Abstract

Although Listeria is a relatively uncommon cause of neonatal sepsis and meningitis, it is important to include it as part of an initial differential diagnosis. An early presumptive diagnosis of Listeria infection may be possible with close attention to preliminary reports of Gram-positive rods. The appropriate choice of antimicrobial agents for treating Listeria infection in neonates should be guided by Listeria’s resistance patterns, the organism’s notable intracellular life cycle, and an awareness of likely anatomic sites of maternal and neonatal infections. Even a single occurrence of Listeria infection in a nursery may be related to a large outbreak. Accordingly, obtaining a nuanced exposure history and using contemporary outbreak monitoring and reporting tools may have broad benefits for controlling Listeria infection at its source and helping to limit its spread via large-scale food distribution networks.