Part A) What barrier was breached by the pathogen? Part B) Describe how that barrier works and how it can prevent mom's pathogens from infecting the fetus.

Microbiology for Surgical Technologists (MindTap Course List)
2nd Edition
ISBN:9781111306663
Author:Margaret Rodriguez, Paul Price
Publisher:Margaret Rodriguez, Paul Price
Chapter9: Microbial Disease Transmission
Section: Chapter Questions
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Part A) What barrier was breached by the pathogen?
Part B) Describe how that barrier works and how it can prevent mom's pathogens from infecting the fetus.
A tiny 1-kg (2.2-pound) female neonate (newborn) was born two months premature. The baby had extreme difficulty breathing and
had to be intubated (a breathing tube inserted). The mother, at the time of admission, had complained of mild diarrhea and
abnormal abdominal pain unrelated to her pregnancy. The infectious disease doctor who was called in to consult on the case
immediately recognized the likely problem and ordered blood cultures be performed on the infant. The infant was also started on
intravenous antibiotics. Two days later, the lab reported finding a Gram-positive bacillus-Listeria monocytogenes-in the infant's
blood. This same organism was the cause of the mother's diarrhea. The mother had unwittingly ingested some unpasteurized
cheese contaminated with this pathogen and developed listeriosis. The organism entered the mother's bloodstream and was
transmitted to the fetus prior to birth.
Transcribed Image Text:Part A) What barrier was breached by the pathogen? Part B) Describe how that barrier works and how it can prevent mom's pathogens from infecting the fetus. A tiny 1-kg (2.2-pound) female neonate (newborn) was born two months premature. The baby had extreme difficulty breathing and had to be intubated (a breathing tube inserted). The mother, at the time of admission, had complained of mild diarrhea and abnormal abdominal pain unrelated to her pregnancy. The infectious disease doctor who was called in to consult on the case immediately recognized the likely problem and ordered blood cultures be performed on the infant. The infant was also started on intravenous antibiotics. Two days later, the lab reported finding a Gram-positive bacillus-Listeria monocytogenes-in the infant's blood. This same organism was the cause of the mother's diarrhea. The mother had unwittingly ingested some unpasteurized cheese contaminated with this pathogen and developed listeriosis. The organism entered the mother's bloodstream and was transmitted to the fetus prior to birth.
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