children s health issues
Listeriosis in Newborns
Diagnosis of Listeriosis in Newborns
Testing of blood and other fluids taken from pregnant women and newborns In pregnant women who have a fever, samples of blood, material from the cervix, and amniotic fluid may be removed and tested forListeria monocytogenes. If a newborn is sick, samples of blood and spinal fluid (obtained with a spinal tap—see figure How a Spinal Tap Is Done ) are collected and tested for The samples are sent to a laboratory to grow (culture) the bacteria or to undergo the Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (PCR) test. The PCR test looks for the genetic material of the bacteria and enables doctors to rapidly identify the bacteria. Identifying the bacteria in a sample confirms the diagnosis. 