Listeriosis medical therapy

Overview
Bacteremia should be treated for 2 weeks, meningitis for 3 weeks, and brain abscess for at least 6 weeks. Ampicillin generally is considered antibiotic of choice; gentamicin is added frequently for its synergistic effects. Overall mortality rate is 20-30%; of all pregnancy-related cases, 22% resulted in fetal loss or neonatal death, but mothers usually survive.

Treatment

 * Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics. A person in a high-risk category who experiences flu-like symptoms within 2 months of eating contaminated food should seek medical care and tell the physician or health care provider about eating the contaminated food.


 * If a person has eaten food contaminated with Listeria and does not have any symptoms, most experts believe that no tests or treatment are needed, even for persons at high risk for listeriosis.

Resources
CDC Listeriosis Treatment