Isn't google wonderful? e-med http://www.emedicine.com/ped/topic1319.htm displays the following information about frequency. "United States The estimated annual incidence of listeriosis is approximately 2-3 cases per million population. In 2004, 753 new cases of listeriosis were reported in the United States. International The estimated annual incidence of listeriosis is approximately 4 cases per million population in Canada. Surveillance of listeria infections in Europe reported an incidence varying between 0.3 (Greece) and 7.5 (Sweden) cases per year. Mortality/Morbidity Early onset neonatal listeriosis has a 20-30% mortality rate. Late-onset neonatal listeriosis has a 0-20% mortality rate. The mortality rate in older children is less than 10%. Hydrocephalus, mental retardation, and other CNS sequelae have been reported in survivors of Listeria meningitis." However, medscape http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/534793 estimates a much higher frequency, and higher still in pregnancy: "The overall incidence of listeriosis is low: 0.7 cases per 100,000 population. This infection more often occurs in persons older than 70 years (2.1 cases per 100,000); pregnant women (12 cases per 100,000); patients with defects in cell-mediated immunity, including renal transplant recipients; patients receiving high doses of corticosteroids; and patients with AIDS (100 cases per 100,000).28 At a large referral hospital, Listeria organisms were the third most common cause of community-acquired bacterial meningitis in adults (12% of cases)." This infection is so devastating and so easily avoided that it is not unreasonable to recommend that mothers take precautions. However, other sources point out that this infection may well be so common (and usually so mild) as to go unnoticed, since up to one in twenty adults carry L.monocytogenes in their digestive tracts. It is not usual to culture the stools of mothers who miscarry or deliver preterm so the epidemiology is probably sketchy. Furthermore it can be argued that pregnancy is a time when a woman's immune system is compromised (although I have issues with understanding pregancy as pathological) making her more susceptible to this infection. Nina Berry Australia *********************************************** Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html To reach list owners: [log in to unmask] Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask] COMMANDS: 1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail 2. To start it again: set lactnet mail 3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet 4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome