Risk factors

Pregnant women and people who have weak immune systems are at highest risk of contracting a listeria infection.

Pregnant women and their babies

Pregnant women are much more susceptible to listeria infections than are other healthy adults. Although a listeria infection might cause only a mild illness in pregnant women, consequences for their babies can include:

• Miscarriage
• Stillbirth
• Premature birth
• A potentially fatal infection after birth

People who have weak immune systems

This category includes people who:

• Are older than 65
• Have AIDS
• Are receiving chemotherapy
• Have diabetes or kidney disease
• Take high-dose prednisone or certain rheumatoid arthritis drugs
• Take medications to block rejection of a transplanted organ