Investigation of ruminant encephalitic and septicemic listeriosis by the immunofluorescence method

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