Effects of pregnancy-associated Listeria monocytogenes infection: necrotizing hepatitis due to impaired maternal immune response and significantly increased abortion rate.
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| Abstract |
The impact of L. monocytogenes infection on maternal immune responses as well as on the outcome of pregnancy was studied in a murine model of pregnancy-associated listeriosis. Mice infected i.v. with L. monocytogenes at day 15 of pregnancy showed a significantly impaired bacterial elimination, which resulted in a severe necrotizing hemorrhagic hepatitis. The aggravated course of the infection could be attributed to a suppressed transcription and production of anti-listerial, pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, namely interferon-gamma, tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-12p40, inducible nitric oxide synthase, murine monokine induced by interferon-gamma, and interferon-gamma-inducible protein-10. In addition, listeriosis significantly increased the abortion rate. Infection of the placenta and fetuses was characterized by placental and fetal necrosis with unrestricted bacterial multiplication. A weak transcription of anti-listerial cytokines in the placenta in the absence of a cellular immune response could not prevent the fatal outcome of pregnancy-associated listeriosis.
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| Authors | Maja Abram, Dirk Schlüter, Darinka Vuckovic, Branka Waber, Miljenko Doric, Martina Deckert |
| Journal | Virchows Archiv : an international journal of pathology (Virchows Arch) Vol. 441 Issue 4 Pg. 368-79 (Oct 2002) ISSN: 0945-6317 [Print] Germany |
| PMID | 12404062 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't) |
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