M. Rezaei - Department of Microbiology, Kerman Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kerman, Iran.
N. Kazemipour - Department of Microbiology, Kerman Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kerman, Iran.
J. Vandyousefi - Shila Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, Tehran, Iran.
F. Rokhbakhsh zamin - Department of Microbiology, Kerman Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kerman, Iran
G. Irajian - Department of Microbiology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Background and Aims: The aim was to determine the role of dominant serovars of Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) in spontaneous abortions, using isolation methods and polymerase change reaction (PCR). Materials and Methods: A total of ۲۵۸ samples comprising of placental tissue, vaginal swabs and blood were collected from ۱۲۳ patients with spontaneous abortion. L. monocytogenes was identified and confirmed by culture, biochemical reactions, serological tests, API system, CAMP (Christie, Atkins, Munch and Petersen) test, and hemolysis on sheep blood agar. Phosphatidyl inositol specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) assay, followed by multiplex PCR was applied for detection of serotypes ۱/۲a and ۴b. Result: Out of ۲۵۸ samples, ۲۸ isolates of L. monocytogenes were identified   by different methods. All of the isolates were confirmed by PCR. Of ۲۸ isolated strains, ۱۴(۵۰%) belonged to serovar ۱/۲a, ۱۰(۳۵.۷%) to serovar ۴b and ۴(۱۴.۳%) to other serovars. Conclusions: Based on our study, serovars ۱/۲a and ۴b are dominant serovars as causative agents of human spontaneous abortion due to L. monocytogenes in pregnant women.

L. monocytogenes, Serovars, Spontaneous abortion, Keywords: Humans, Listeria monocytogenes, spontaneous abortion, dominant serovars, hly gene, iap gene