A baby born at 32 weeks gestation with Apgar scores of 2 and 7 was placed in the neonatal ICU. She developed a fever and leukocytosis. LP revealed pleocytosis with increased protein, decreased glucose, and gram-positive rods. Which organism was most likely isolated from the CSF?
This is the history of neonatal meningitis. As gram positive bacilli were seen on CSF examination, the causative organism most probably is L. monocytogenes. Other causes of neonatal meningitis are Sterptococcus agalactiae (group B streptococcus) and E. coli.
Escherichia coli
Listeria monocytogenes
Neisseria meningitides
Streptococcus agalactiae