en ميکروبيولوژي Microbiology پژوهشي Research <div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:115%"><span calibri="" style="font-family:"><b><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times="">Background:</span></b><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""> Brucellosis is a zoonotic infectious disease with global distribution. This disease has been prevalent in various parts of Iran since ancient times and is significant due to its specific medical complications. Given the endemic nature of the disease in the country, this study aimed to investigate the prevalence of brucellosis infection in blood donors using serological and molecular methods in rural areas of Ardabil Province, Iran, during 2017-2018.</span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:115%"><span calibri="" style="font-family:"><b><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times="">Methods:</span></b><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""> In a descriptive-cross-sectional study, anti-Brucella antibodies were investigated in the serum of 500 blood donors who referred to the Ardabil Province blood transfusion center. First, all blood samples were qualitatively tested by the Rose Bengal test. Then, on the Rose Bengal-positive samples, the Wright, 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME), and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) molecular method tests were performed. Data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 18) and the chi-square statistical test.</span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:115%"><span calibri="" style="font-family:"><b><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times="">Results: </span></b><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times="">Out of 500 blood samples from individuals referring to the Ardabil Province blood transfusion center, 37 individuals had a positive Rose Bengal test, 27 had a Wright test titer of &ge;1/80, and 18 had a 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) test titer of &ge;1/40. No significant relationship was found between the seroprevalence of brucellosis and the gender of the blood donors, but a significant relationship was observed with age (<i>P</i> < 0.05). All 37 individuals who had a positive Rose Bengal test were reported negative by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method.</span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:115%"><span calibri="" style="font-family:"><b><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times="">Conclusion: </span></b><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times="">If we consider the Wright test titer as the criterion for Brucella infection, the contamination with Brucella in the donors from Ardabil Province is not negligible.</span></span></span></span><br> &nbsp;</div> Brucellosis, Seroprevalence, Blood Donors, Rose Bengal, PCR, 2-Mercaptoethanol, Wright 0 0 http://rmm.mazums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-454-3&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Parisa Eslami parisa@gmail.com 100319475328460013812 100319475328460013812 No Student research Center, Mazandaran university of medical sciences, Sari, Iran Mehdi Fakhar mahdifakhar53@gmail.com 100319475328460013813 100319475328460013813 No Toxoplasma research center, Mazandaran university of medical sciences, Sari, Iran. Ahmed Dheyaa ahmad@gmail.com 100319475328460013814 100319475328460013814 No Student research Center, Mazandaran university of medical sciences, Sari, Iran Soheila Ahanjan soheila2007@gmail.com 100319475328460013815 100319475328460013815 No Student research Center, Iran university of medical sciences, Tehran, Iran Mohammad Ahanjan ahanjan2007@gmail.com 100319475328460013816 100319475328460013816 Yes Pediatric Infectious Diseases Research Center, Communicable Diseases Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran