Listeriosis infection in pregnant women and its effects on pregnancy and infants; (Review of studies)

Listeriosis is an infection if not be diagnosed in time, fetuses and newborns can be affected. So the aim of this study was to identify the features of listeriosis accurately, including clinical findings, laboratory diagnosis, and type of treatment in pregnant women and infants, in order to increase the awareness of health care system to help reduction of abortions and stillbirth’s rates in the community.

Searching was started using scientific databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, ISI and using the keywords Listeriosis, Pregnant Women, Newborn, Health Care System. English and Persian articles on listeriosis infection in pregnant women and infants by 2021 were searched. Then, based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the articles were selected.

According to this study most common effects of listeriosis on pregnant women were included: fever, flu-like symptoms, gastrointestinal and urinary disorders respectively. In addition, the effects of listeriosis on fetus were abortion, stillbirth, and in newborns, premature birth, respiratory infection and meningitis were most important effects.

According to the results of this study, listeriosis has severe effects on fetuses and infants, so knowledge about its symptoms and complications in pregnancy is important and can be an important step towards increasing reproductive health indexes and preventing abortion, stillbirth and Infant disease in the community.