CASE HISTORY
A 2)1-kilogram (4.7-pound)female neonate was born at 32 weeks.A normal neonate averages 3.17 kg,or 7 pounds,and is born at 40 weeks.The baby was clearly in distress and was intubated at birth because of poor respiratory effort.A chest X-ray showed an infiltrate in the baby's right lung.Her mother,Linda,presented at the time of delivery with lower abdominal pain,a temperature of 39° C (102°F),and a white cell count of 25,000/ml (normal is 4,000-10,000).Blood cultures from Linda and her child grew Gram-positive coccobacilli.Mother and baby fully recovered after antibiotic treatment.The physician later learned that Linda had recently visited Mexico,where she ate unpasteurized soft cheese called queso blanco.
Which bacterium,possessing virulence factors that enable it to cross the placental barrier,is the likely etiologic agent of Linda's infection (and her baby's)?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Listeria monocytogenes is known to possess virulence factors that enable it to cross the placental barrier, causing infections in both the mother and the fetus/neonate. The consumption of unpasteurized soft cheese is a known risk factor for Listeria infection. Clostridium perfringens, Staphylococcus aureus, and Corynebacterium diphtheriae are not typically associated with infections in newborns and do not possess virulence factors that facilitate placental crossing.

CASE HISTORY A 2)1-Kilogram (4.7-Pound)female Neonate Was Born at 32 Weeks.A Normal