1, *
1 Department of Neonatal, The Fourth Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150001,China;chenxiaoyu0270@gmail.com;
2 Oilfields General Hospital in Daqing, Daqing 163000, China; cxy0270@163.com;
3 Department of Epidemiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150080, China; yifan.701@163.com;
4 National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Molecular Probes and Targeted Diagnosis and Therapy,
Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150001, China;luoyankun@hrbmu.edu.cn
* Correspondence: sql6702@ 163.com;luoyankun@hrbmu.edu.cn;yifan.701@163.com.
Written informed consent was obtained from the patient to publish this report in accordance with the journal’s patient consent policy
Abstract: Neonatal listeriosis is a rare but extremely fatal perinatal disease. Its prevalence is underestimated due to misdiagnosis, undiagnosed stillbirths, and insufficient single-case reports, resulting in inadequate attention. Herein, we report a case of a mother, whose twice Listeria tests were negative by blood culture, subsequently giving birth to a newborn suffering from listeriosis. The infant presented complications such as premature birth, sepsis, necrotizing enterocolitis, and septic shock. Despite aggressive empirical rescue and treatment, the infant’s death could not be averted. The case warns us of the severe threat Listeria poses to newborn health. In this case where a pregnant woman showed the symptom of Listeria infection, but twice blood cultures fail to isolate the pathogen. Our aim is to enhance the awareness that perinatal physicians should heighten their vigilance towards rare pathogens that can cross the placental barrier. Given the high proportion of false negatives in blood cultures, there is an urgent need to establish a more sensitive and comprehensive detection system for these types of pathogens.
Keywords: Listeria monocytogenes; congenital infection; early diagnosis.