Occurrence of Listeria monocytogenes in feces of pregnant women with and without direct animal contact.

Women under policlinic control during their pregnancy were divided into 3 groups, viz. women living on farms with animals, women having pet-animals in their home and women without any direct contact with living animsla. 5-7 feces samples were controlled for L. monocytogenes during pregnancy and puerperium, together with one sample of meconium of the neonate. Of women from farms, with pet-animals and women without living animal contact, respectively 32%, 39% and 34% of the samples were positive. From a total of 1337 samples 116 (8,8%) were positive. From 87 meconium samples all but one were negative. The results obtained support the hypothesis, that L. monocytogenes is an ubuquitous organism without typical zoonotic characteristics, although infection through animals may occur.