Listeriosis and borreliosis as causes of antepartum fever

Fever of unknown origin in the pregnant woman presents special diagnostic, therapeutic, and obstetric problems. Two such clinically ill, febrile third-trimester patients, one presenting with maternal septicemia and transplacental fetal listeriosis and the other with borreliosis, are discussed. Although the neonatal outcome in such infections historically is poor, the infants of these mothers survived. It is suggested that special diagnostic procedures, timely administration of parenteral antibiotics, and vigilant antepartum testing be considered in all similar pregnant patients.