Listeriosis is infection from the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, which can be found in soft cheeses and ready-to-eat deli meats.
Symptoms of listeriosis may include: flu-like illness with fever, muscle aches, chills, and sometimes
diarrhea; or nausea that can progress to severe
headache and stiff neck.
Antibiotics are used to treat this illness, which often prevents infection in the baby.
Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic infection that can be passed to the baby. It can be contracted from cat feces or soil, or from eating raw or undercooked meat that contains the parasite.
Often, there are no toxoplasmosis symptoms. If symptoms are present, they may include mild flu-like symptoms.
If the mother is infected, the fetus can be tested through amniocentesis and ultrasound.
If the fetus is not yet infected, the mother can be given an antibiotic, spiramycin, to help reduce severity of symptoms in the newborn. If the fetus is suspected of being infected, the mother can be given two medications: pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine. Infected babies are treated at birth and through the first year of life with these medications.
- Pain or burning when urinating
- Pain in lower pelvis, lower back, stomach, or side
- Shaking and chills
- Fever
- Sweats
- Nausea and vomiting
- Frequent or uncontrollable urge to urinate
- Strong-smelling urine
- Change in amount of urine
- Blood or pus in urine
- Pain during sex.
This type of pregnancy complication is diagnosed with a urine test. Treatment for a urinary tract infection involves antibiotics, usually a 3- to 7-day course of
amoxicillin, nitrofurantoin, or cephalosporin.
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