A 58-year-old man comes to the emergency department with a 1-day history of fever, headache, and vomiting. He underwent kidney transplantation last year. His temperature is 39.4 C (103 F), blood pressure is 130/80 mm Hg, pulse is 98/min, and respirations are 16/min. Neck stiffness is present on physical examination. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) results are as follows: Gram-positive rods with tumbling motility at room temperature are seen on CSF microscopy. How was this patient's infection most likely transmitted?

Question

A 58-year-old man comes to the emergency department with a 1-day history of fever, headache, and vomiting.  He underwent kidney transplantation last year.  His temperature is 39.4 C (103 F), blood pressure is 130/80 mm Hg, pulse is 98/min, and respirations are 16/min.  Neck stiffness is present on physical examination.  Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) results are as follows:  Gram-positive rods with tumbling motility at room temperature are seen on CSF microscopy.  How was this patient's infection most likely transmitted?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Eductional Objective: Listeriosis is most commonly transmitted through food ingestions and can cause meningitis in immunocompromised adults.  Listeria is a gram-positive rod with tumbling motility.  It grows well in cold temperatures and can therefore contaminate refrigerated food.

A 58-Year-Old Man Comes to the Emergency Department with a 1-Day