FREQUENCY AND ANTIBACTERIAL SENSITIVITY OF LISTERIA SPP. AND LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES ISOLATED FROM FOOD AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLES IN URMIA

Background and Aim:Genus Listeria specially Listeria monocytogenes (L.monocytogenes), as a food-born pathogen, is causative agent of Listeriosis that could be fatal in highrisk people such as immunocompromised person, neonats and elderly.Methods:in the present study, the frequency of Listeria spp. and L.monocytogenes in 277 food and environmental samples from retail food markets of Urmia city was evaluated . after isolation an identification of strains, antimicrobial susceptibility of isolates was investigated by Kirby – baur method .Results: out of 277 samples, 10 (3.61 %) were positive for presence of Listeria spp. that confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) . From these 10 isolates , 3 (1.08 %) identified as L.monocytogenes and molecular confirmation was done by PCR for plc-A gene . The frequency of other species were as follow: L.ivanovii (0.72 %), L.siligerii (0.72 %) and each of welchimeri, grayi and innocua species (0.36 %) . eight of isolates (80%) were resistant to ampicillin and 7 (70%) to penicillin G . resistance to Co-trimoxazole and Gentamicin was not seen among isolates . Beside that, the resistance rate to erythromycin, rifampin & tetracyclin wase 20%, for each antibiotic .Conclusion:the result of present study indicated the resistance of Listeria species isolated from food against antibacterial agents that are therapeutic choice for Listeriosis . this reveals the prompt need for surveillance program and information system setup about

Keywords:

Listeria monocytogenes , Antibiotic susceptibility profile , food and environmental samples