Abstract
This study was performed in Dakahlia province, Egypt to investigate zoonotic and molecular aspects of Listeria species recovered from some farm animals and human. For this purpose, a total of 272 samples were collected from animals (146), milk (60) and man (66). Of which 146 fecal samples were collected from cattle (95), buffaloes (25), sheep (16) and goats (10). Meantime, 60 milk samples were taken from cattle (27), buffaloes (3) and sheep (30). Regarding human, 66 samples were included 54 stool samples from 30 adult, 9 previously aborted women and 15 preterm. Moreover, 12 vaginal swabs were collected from aborted women from patients admitted to Mansoura University hospitals and some private clinical laboratories. The results revealed that the occurrence of Listeria species was 17.1% in animal feces, 16.6% in milk samples. While, in human samples, it was 15.1%. Sheep feces showed higher occurrence (43.7%), buffalo’s milk was highest contamination rate (33.3%). The frequency distribution of Listeria species in stool of women, preterm, adults and vaginal swabs were 11.1%, 6.6%, 20.0% and 16.6%, respectively. Different Listeria species have been identified from animals, milk and humans, L. monocytogenes was the most identified strains (44.4%). Multiplex polymerase chain reaction (m. PCR) was used to detect the virulence genes (iap, hylA and actA) of 12 biochemically identified L. monocytogenes strains recovered from different sources using specific primers. The molecular characterization proved that m. PCR successfully amplified iap, hylA and actA virulence genes at specific base pair 131, 456 and 839 respectively. In conclusion, Listeria species were detected in the examined farm animals, its milk and humans, reflecting the zoonotic impact of such animals and its milk, moreover, same genotypes prevalent in farm animals, milk and humans suggesting that genotypes are transmissible between farm animals and man in the examined area, Egypt.

Key words: Listeria spp., Listeria monocytogenes, hylA, PCR, Zoonoses.