2023-12-07 08:30:38
Between 350 and 400 cases of listeriosis are recorded each year in France, making this bacterial infection the second leading cause of food-related death. Among the cases recorded, infection of pregnant women causes neonatal listeriosis. Recently, researchers at the Pasteur Institute looked into the health effects of this infection in children. Results.
What is neonatal listeriosis?
Listeriosis is a disease caused by bacteria, Listeria monocytogenes. This bacteria is present everywhere in our environment. Present in the soil, it is found in the digestive tract of livestock and can be present in certain foods of animal origin, in particular cold meats, raw milk and raw milk cheese. Anyone can be infected by this bacteria, but the people most susceptible to this infection are:
- Pregnant women and young children;
- Old people ;
- Immunocompromised people;
- People with certain chronic illnesses.
When a pregnant woman is infected with the bacteria Listeriaserious consequences can occur for the fetus:
- The death of the fetus in utero catchy a miscarriage ;
- A delivery premature ;
- Fetal infection, which specialists call neonatal listeriosis. Each year in France, around 40 cases of this disease are recorded.
After-effects linked to the prematurity of infected children in utero
Until now, studies on listeriosis in pregnant women have been limited to the consequences on the continuation of the pregnancy. But can this infection have a lasting impact on the child’s health? To find out, French researchers from the Pasteur Institute, Paris-Cité University, AP-HP and INSERM followed children suffering from neonatal listeriosis until the age of 5. . They compared the health of these children with that of children not affected by the bacteria during pregnancy.
In total, around fifty children exposed to the bacteria Listeria at different stages of pregnancy were followed until the age of 5 years. The researchers were particularly interested in the neurological and neurodevelopmental consequences of infected children. in utero. In two thirds of cases, the data revealed after-effects in children, mainly linked to their premature birth: cognitive disorders, motor coordination problems, visual or hearing problems. According to the researchers, this study reveals that the consequences of neonatal listeriosis are mainly linked to the prematurity of children, more than to the disease itself.
9 Tips to Prevent Neonatal Listeriosis
Faced with the risks associated with listeriosis during pregnancy, the best weapon remains prevention. Hygiene and diet advice are essential to protect pregnant women and their babies from this bacteria:
- Wash your hands well, especially before preparing meals or eating;
- Clean dishes, kitchen utensils, refrigerator and kitchen thoroughly;
- Pack food before and after preparation;
- Avoid high-risk foods: cold meats, raw milk, raw milk cheese, raw or smoked meat or fish;
- Carefully wash fruits and vegetables eaten raw, as well as aromatic herbs;
- Favor packaged products over cut products;
- Cook meats and fish thoroughly;
- Remove the rind from the cheeses;
- Respect the rules for preserving and storing food (duration, temperature, packaging).
If the prevention of toxoplasmosis is generally well known to non-immune pregnant women, the same rules – or almost – apply to protect the fetus from Listeria and this time all women are affected, from the beginning to the end of the pregnancy.
Estelle B., Doctor of Pharmacy
Sources
– Listeriosis in pregnant women and newborns in France: evolution from 1984 to 2006. www.santepubliquefrance.fr. Accessed November 27, 2023.
– What is listeriosis and how to protect yourself from it? www.anses.fr. Accessed November 27, 2023.
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