Question

After visiting a dairy farm one summer afternoon in Utah, three members of a family develop fever, abdominal cramping and diarrhea with blood for 3 days. All three patients reported to their doctor that their symptoms developed the day after visiting the dairy farm where they sampled raw milk. Two of the patients (85 year old female and 18 year old male) became severely dehydrated and required hospitalization. The female patient died 1 week later of multisystem organ failure, related, in part, to gastroenteritis and underlying medical conditions that she had. The second patient was given IV fluids and antibiotics which resolved his symptoms after 1 week. Based on the information provided in this case study, answer the following questions.

1. What organism is the most likely etiologic agent that caused the infection in this family?

2. How was the disease acquired? Explain your answer.

3. Describe how this bacterium causes a more severe disease in immunocompromised individuals.

4. Describe the virulence factors associated with this bacteria.

Answer 1

Answers with explanations are as follows :-