Comparison the Standard Culture Method and Polymerase Chain Reaction in Diagnosis of Listeria Monocytogenes in Pregnant Women

Listeria monocytogenes is one of the causes of miscarriage and stillbirth. The aim of the present study was to compare the results of the standard culture method and polymerase chain reaction in pregnant women. This is an experimental study which was carried out at Imam Sajjad hospital in 2009 on 107 pregnant women. Specimens (311) including urine, blood, placenta and cervix swabs were collected. After enrichment course, for a period of 4 weeks in cold condition, ulture was performed for all specimens. The samples were also evaluated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Collected data were analyzed using SPSS, using McNemar and Capa statistical tests. Participants of this study were 15 to 38 years old women, with a mean age of 26.7 years. Frequencies of first and second abortion in the subjects were 59.8% and 12.1% respectively. No culture positive cases were found among the samples while PCR detected hly gene in 10.28% of the subjects. A significant different was observed between the two methods (p=0.022). Findings of this study demonstrated that PCR is more sensitive than culture method for diagnosis of Listeria infection in pregnant women.