PRIMARY LISTERIA-MONOCYTOGENES INFECTION IN GESTATING MICE

The facultative intracellular Gram-positive bacterium Listeria monocyt ogenes is a food-borne pathogen of frequently underestimated importanc e. Pregnant women represent the high-risk group for L. monocytogenes i nfection. Abortion, stillbirth or neonatal infection can be the seriou s outcome of such an infection. Recovery from listeriosis, resistance mechanisms of the host and the effect of L. monocytogenes on fetal dev elopment still remain to be fully understood. The results of our exper iments showed an increased susceptibility of gestating BALB/c mice to primary L. monocytogenes infection. The duration of listeriosis in ges tating animals was almost twice longer than in the control group. Furt hermore, it was clearly shown that the detrimental effect of L. monocy togenes on fetal development was mote pronounced if the infection was acquired earlier during gestation.