Neonatal Listeria-meningitis in San Luis, Argentina: a three-case report.

Between November 1996 and December 2006, two cases of early-onset and one case of late-onset neonatal listeriosis were reported in San Luis, Argentina. This article describes clinical and laboratory findings as well as treatment and outcome for newborns treated for Listeria monocytogenes meningitis or septicaemia. In one of the newborns with early-onset listeriosis, meningitis led to important complications including hydrocephalus. The two other newborns showed complete recovery following adequate treatment. The L. monocytogenes isolates from two patients belonged to PCR group IVb (including serovar 4b strains) and to PCR group IIb (including serovar 1/2b strains) in the third patient. Listeriosis, especially the maternal-fetal presentation, is still rare in Argentina for unknown reasons. Our data can be used in the future as an epidemiological survey.