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A stillborn child with abscesses in multiple body organs/cavities has ______ which is associated with in utero listeria bacteremia?

1) Septicemia
2) Meningitis
3) Pneumonia
4) Osteomyelitis

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Final answer:

A stillborn child with abscesses in multiple body organs due to in utero listeria bacteremia is most likely to have septicemia. This condition is characterized by a systemic infection that affects multiple parts of the body simultaneously, consistent with the symptoms presented.

Step-by-step explanation:

The condition described in the student's question, where a stillborn child presents with abscesses in multiple body organs or cavities as a result of in utero exposure to Listeria bacteremia, is known as septicemia. Listeriosis, caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, is particularly dangerous for pregnant women and can result in severe outcomes, including spontaneous abortion, miscarriage, stillbirth, and neonatal infection. The pathogen's ability to cross the placental barrier makes the fetus highly susceptible to systemic infections. Septicemia, a systemic infection that occurs when bacteria enter the bloodstream and spread throughout the body, is the most consistent with the scenario described, where multiple organs are affected, characterizing a widespread infection.

Neonatal meningitis, pneumonia, and osteomyelitis are conditions that may also be associated with Listeria infection, but they typically affect specific areas (e.g., the membranes surrounding the brain in meningitis, the lungs in pneumonia, and the bones in osteomyelitis), whereas septicemia implies a more systemic infection affecting multiple body systems as noted in the provided scenario. The presence of abscesses in various organs underscores the widespread nature of the infection characteristic of septicemia.

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