PERINATAL LISTERIOSIS IN A DUTCH WOMAN RETURNING FROM HOLIDAY IN FRANCE

A case is reported of perinatal infection and fetal death due to Liste ria monocytogenes serotype 4B in a 28-weeks pregnant woman, who had sp ent her holiday in an area in France where an epidemic outbreak of lis teriosis had occurred. Sero- and phage-typing combined with sensitive DNA-typing demonstrated that the Listeria was identical to the strain responsible for the outbreak in France. Although listeriosis appears t o be an uncommon cause of perinatal infection, practicing obstetrician s should be aware of the possibility.