Prevalence, Antibiotics Susceptibility Profile of <i>Listeria Monocytogenes</i>, and Its Associated Risk Factors Among Pregnant Women Attending Millennium Health Center

Abstract

<i>Background</i>: <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> is a facultative intracellular pathogen that causes serious invasive infections in pregnant women, resulting in disseminated fetal infections, abortions, and still-births. Although it causes a greater burden on pregnant women and their infants, the case in Ethiopia is overlooked, and there is a scarcity of data on <i>L. monocytogenes,</i> particularly in the southern parts of Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence and, antibiotics susceptibility of <i>L. monocytogenes</i> and its associated risk factors among pregnant women attending the Millennium Health Center, Hawassa, Ethiopia. <i>Method</i>: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 203 pregnant women between May 30 and July 30, 2022. Socio-demographic data and 5 ml venous blood samples were collected from pregnant women using structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25. Bivariate logistic regression was carried out then variables with <i>p</i><0.25 were further analyzed by multivariate logistic regressions, <i>p</i>-values <0.05 were accepted as statistically significant. <i>Results</i>: The overall prevalence of <i>L. monocytogenes</i> among pregnant women was found to be 11/203 (5.42%; 95% CI=2.88-9.38). <i>L. monocytogenes</i> was resistant to benzyl penicillin (90.91%) and meropenem (81.82%), but susceptible to ampicillin (90.91%). Raw meat (AOR=6.99; 95% CI=1.39-35.14), <i>p</i>=0.018), uncooked vegetables (AOR=6.62; 95% CI=1.04-42.30), <i>p</i>=0.046), unpasteurized milk (AOR=7.56; 95% CI=1.33-42.97), <i>p</i>=0.023) and fever (AOR=14.65; 95% CI=3.15-68.15), <i>p</i>=0.001) were significantly associated with <i>L. monocytogenes</i> infection. <i>Conclusion</i>: <i>L. monocytogenes</i> was resistant to benzyl penicillin, meropenem, erythromycin, and sulfamethoxazole but susceptible to ampicillin. Raw meat, uncooked vegetables, unpasteurized milk, and fever were significantly associated with <i>L. monocytogenes</i>.