Genotypic characterization, invasion index and antimicrobial resistance pattern in Listeria monocytogenes strains isolated from clinical samples

ObjectiveTo evaluate antimicrobial resistance, invasion index and genetic profile in Listeria monocytogenes isolated from clinical samples.MethodsAt all, 170 clinical samples were collected from patients with spontaneous abortions hospitalized in Shariati hospital in Tehran during June 2010 to August 2013. Invasion index was determined using HeLa cells. The multiple-locus variable-number tandem-repeats analysis (MLVA) was used for evaluation of genetic relatedness.ResultsOut of 14 L. monocytogenes isolates, 4 (28.57%), 2 (14.28%), 0 (0%), 5 (35.71%) and 3 (21.42%) were isolated from placental tissue, urine, blood, vaginal and rectal swabs, respectively. High resistance to penicillin and multidrug resistant were found amongst isolates. The invasion index was in the range of 0.001–0.007. Seven different types were obtained by MLVA assay and type 2 and 3 with 4 strains were the most frequent type. Strains isolated from the vagina and the placenta of the same type were also more resistant to penicillin.ConclusionsSince MLVA is a high-throughput screening method that is fairly inexpensive, easy to accomplish, rapid, and trustworthy, it is well suited to interlaboratory comparisons during epidemiological investigations. Also further studies of larger samples from a variety of sources such as food and animal specimens recommended comparing by MLVA method.