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-γ, tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-12p40, inducible nitric oxide synthase, murine monokine induced by interferon-γ, and interferon-γ-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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Abram, M., Schlüter, D., Vuckovic, D. et al. Effects of pregnancy-associated Listeria monocytogenes infection: necrotizing hepatitis due to impaired maternal immune response and significantly increased abortion rate. Virchows Arch 441, 368–379 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00428-002-0649-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00428-002-0649-2