Lumbosacral CSF can be collected under local anaesthesia and if the animal is infected will show an increased protein count and mild pleocytosis with large mononuclear cells.
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Isolation of L. monocytogenes provides a definitive diagnosis of listeriosis. The prefferd samples are brain, aborted foetus or placenta.
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Serology is not used as many healthy animals have high ''Listeria'' titres.