Listeria Sepsis and Pneumonia in a Premature Neonate.

Park,  Joon Woo; Yoon,  Jeong Min; Sung,  Tae Jung

Case Report

Journal of the Korean Society of Neonatology 2009;16(1):94-98.
Published online May 1, 2009.

Listeria Sepsis and Pneumonia in a Premature Neonate.

Joon Woo Park, Jeong Min Yoon, Tae Jung Sung

Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Seoul, Korea. neosung@hallym.or.kr

산전 감염 후 발생한 패혈증 및 폐렴을 동반한 미숙아 리스테리아증 1례

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Abstract

Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) is a foodborne anaerobic gram-positive rod and the third most common pathogen for neonatal meningitis. Although the mortality and morbidity of L. monocytogenes infections are high, thus causing serious problems in Western populations, neonatal listeriosis is relatively rare in Eastern countries, including Korea. Possible routes for intrauterine infection or vertical transmission of L. monocytogenes include infected placentas and the reproductive tract. Intrauterine infections may cause chorioamnionitis, preterm labor, spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, or neonatal infection. A high index of suspicion and early empirical antibiotic treatment are critical to achieve a favorable prognosis for neonatal listeriosis. We managed a case of L. monocytogenes sepsis and pneumonia in a premature neonate born at 26 weeks of gestational age from an asymptomatic mother with culture-proven placental infection. The neonate was successively treated with ampicillin and gentamicin.

Key Words: Listeriosis; Prematurity; Empirical antibiotics