Document Type : Original Articles
Authors
1
Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
2
Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tabriz, 516665-1647, Tabriz, Iran Abortion Research Group, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tabriz, 516665-1647, Tabriz, Iran
3
Veterinary Organization, East Azerbaijan Province, Tabriz, Iran Abortion Research Group, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tabriz, 516665-1647, Tabriz, Iran
4
Veterinary Organization, East Azerbaijan Province, Tabriz, Iran
5
Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tabriz, 51665-1647, Tabriz, Iran
6
Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran Abortion Research Group, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tabriz, 516665-1647, Tabriz, Iran
7
Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tabriz, 516665-1647, Tabriz, Iran
8
Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tabriz, 516665-1647, Tabriz, Iran
10.22092/ari.2025.367781.3430
Abstract
Listeriosis, an important food-borne zoonotic disease, is caused by the Listeriaceae family. The aim of the present study was to detect the presence of Listeria infection in aborted fetuses and serum samples from adults with a recent history of abortion using serological, molecular, and pathological studies in East Azerbaijan Province. For this purpose, a total of 62 aborted fetuses and 288 vaginal swabs were collected from sheep and goat flocks from nine cities. For molecular analyses, conventional PCR was employed for the detection of Listeria genome after extracting DNA from the abomasal contents of examined aborted fetuses. Histopathological examinations were also conducted on formalin-fixed tissue samples from the aborted fetuses. At microbiological study, the organism was isolated in 1.24% of abomasal contents, 2.43% from vaginal swaps, and 3.72% from the fetus's brain. Molecular analyses showed that Listeria infection was present in 41.93% (CI95%: 0.41 ± 0.12) of the aborted fetuses. At pathology, gross examination revealed white foci in the liver, lung, and myocardium, associated with severe hyperemia in the brain. In addition, microscopic studies indicated remarkable necrotic and inflammatory responses in the tissue sections, particularly in the brain (encephalitis), lung (pneumonia), liver (hepatitis), and heart (myocarditis). In conclusion, the detection of Listeria infection in aborted fetuses with a much higher infection rate indicates that this infection plays a notable role in the abortion of sheep and goats in East Azerbaijan. More importantly, it remains one of the zoonotic diseases worldwide. Therefore, effective public health management strategies are crucial for its prevention and control.
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