This conference began with a case of a patient presenting with falls, headache, slurred speech, and a small subdural hematoma, whose course evolved into worsening encephalopathy and MRI findings of a rim-enhancing pontine lesion with extensive edema involving the pons and midbrain. Blood and operative cultures ultimately grew Listeria monocytogenes, highlighting listeriosis as an uncommon but severe foodborne infection with a particular predilection for basilar CNS disease.
The teaching portion reviewed trends in foodborne illness, recent Listeria outbreaks, and the microbiologic features that distinguish Listeria from many other foodborne pathogens, including its ability to persist in food production environments.
The second half used a vascular graft infection case to review diagnostic frameworks for VGI, including MAGIC criteria and Samson classification, as well as the role of imaging, surgical approach, and prolonged or suppressive antimicrobial therapy.