Prevalence of Brucella abortus in Holstein dairy cows in north west of Iran by using serological and PCR assays

Bovine brucellosis is a zoonotic disease distributed worldwide and characterized by abortion and reduced fertility in cows. The aim of this study was to determine prevalence of Brucella abortus in Holstein dairy cows in north west of Iran by using serological and PCR assays. In this study, blood samples were drawn from 1692 cows at the dairy farms of west Azerbaijan, east Azerbaijan and Ardabil provinces (North-West of Iran) and their sera separated by centrifugation. The serum samples were analyzed by Rose Bengal Test (RBT), 2-ME and multiplex PCR assays. From 1692 samples collected, 14.65% showed positive RBT and 13.23% showed positive 2-ME and 21.98% showed a positive reaction to the PCR test. In conclusion, all serological and particularly PCR tests are recommended for diagnosis of Brucella strains in cows subjected to abortion. It was concluded from the results that prevalence of brucellosis in cattle was low in this region.