Investigation of Ruminant Encephalitic and Septicemic Listeriosis by the Immunofluorescence Method

Listeria genus are Gram positive facultative intracellular bacteria that are found in the soil as saprophytes but also contain species that have pathogenic effects in their last host. Listeria monocytogenes is the major pathogen in Listeria species that is responsible for the majority of Listeriosis cases in humans and animals. In this study, it was aimed to investigate L. monocytogenes with histopathological and immunofluorescence methods in brain and liver tissues taken from sheep and cattle with clinical signs of suspicious Listeriosis. In the study, isolation and identification of L. monocytogenes with cultural methods were also applied. The material of the study consisted of 16 sheep and 2 bovine tissue samples. As a result of cultural analysis, L. monocytogenes was identified from 12 (66.6%) of the samples. Within the framework of histopathological and macroscopic findings, 16 (88.8%) of 18 cases with suspected Listeriosis were positive with the immunofluorescence method. These findings reveal that the immunofluorescent staining method is a reliable and sensitive method in the diagnosis of Listeriosis.