Pregnancy-Associated Listeriosis in a Tertiary Hospital in Ningbo, Zhejiang, China: A Retrospective Study

Abstract Background Pregnancy-associated listeriosis is a severe infectious disease and potentially leading to fetal/neonatal fatal. Limited information on pregnancy-associated listeriosis is available in China. Methods We performed a retrospective study on maternal and neonatal patients with pregnancy-associated listeriosis. The clinical characteristics of pregnancy-associated listeriosis were studied, and the outcome determinants of neonatal listeriosis were explored. Results 14 cases of pregnancy-associated listeriosis were identified. The incidence of pregnancy-associated listeriosis in our hospital was 16.69/100,000 births. All of the 14 maternal patients eventually recovered after delivery shortly with no sequelae. None of the 12 mothers who delivered in this hospital received antepartum first-line empirical treatment. Among the 14 neonatal cases, 1 was late onset listeriosis and 13 were early onset cases; 11 survived and 3 died. Fatality rates were significantly higher in outborn neonates (P=0.005). Besides, higher mortality rates were observed in neonates with lower birth weight (P=0.038), gestational age<28 weeks (P=0.056), and Apgar score (5th min) <5 (P=0.056), with marginally significant differences. Conclusions There is a neglected burden of pregnancy-associated listeriosis in our hospital. Timely and optimal resuscitative measures are considered to be important to reduce mortality of neonatal listeriosis. Listeriosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of pregnancy-associated infections.