Pediatr. praxi. 2014;15(2):74-75

Listeriosis

MUDr.Soňa Foltýnová

Dětské oddělení, Nemocnice Hodonín

Listeriosis is a congenital or acquired infectious disease caused by eating food containing the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes. It occurs

in the external environment – in soil and water. Animals are carriers of the bacteria, the disease however clearly does not affect them.

Through animal products, especially meat and milk it gets into the food chain. Pasteurization and boiling destroys bacteria, on the other

hand bacteria remains present in the animal products that have not undergone sufficient heat treatment. Only a small number of cases

affect healthy individuals, the disease is especially dangerous for pregnant women, newborns and adults with weakened immune systems.

While in pregnant women, listeriosis usually occurs as a mild disease, the newborns of such female patients may have their nervous

system affected and the bacteria can also get into their blood. Such pregnancy ends with a premature birth of the infected newborns

in early pregnancy by abortion, there are also cases with stillbirths. Immunocompetent people get listeriosis rarely and the form of the

disease is very mild.

Keywords: listeriosis, Listeria monocytogenes, alimentary transmission immune system, pregnancy

Published: April 20, 2014  Show citation