en Food Safety and Hygiene Food Safety and Hygiene پژوهشي Original Article <div style="text-align: justify;"> <div><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><strong>Background:</strong> <em>Helicobacter pullorum </em>is among the most frequently reported pathogens in poultry. The present study aimed to compare the culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods to assess the prevalence of <em>H. pullorum</em> isolated from chicken tight samples in Semnan, Iran. The antibiotic resistance pattern of the <em>H. pullorum</em> isolates was also determined for the first time in Iran.<br> <strong>Methods:</strong> In total, 50 chicken thigh samples were collected from the local retail markets in Semnan city during January-September 2019. The samples were examined using the culture method and biochemical tests, and the final confirmation was based on PCR with the 16S rRNA gene. In addition, antibiotic resistance test was performed using the disc-diffusion method.<br> <strong>Results</strong>: According to the culture method and biochemical tests, 12 samples (24%) were positive for <em>H. pullorum</em>, eight of which (16%) showed <em>H. pullorum</em> in PCR as well and resistance against nalidixic acid and ciprofloxacin. On the other hand, the lowest antimicrobial resistance was observed against colistin, chloramphenicol, and fosfomycin.<br> Conclusion: Our promising findings indicated that PCR based on the 16S rRNA gene may be a valuable and sensitive approach to the detection of H. pullorum in chicken meat.</span></span></div> </div> H.pullorum,Chicken thigh, PCR test, Culture method, Antibiotic resistance, 167 172 http://jhehp.zums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-407-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Ashkan Jebellijavan jebellija@profs.semnan.ac.ir 100319475328460010404 100319475328460010404 No Department of Food Hygiene and Quality Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran. Seyed Hesamodin Emadi Chashmi hesamemadi@semnan.ac.ir 100319475328460010405 100319475328460010405 Yes Department of Clinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran. Hamid Staji hstaji@semnan.ac.ir 100319475328460010406 100319475328460010406 No Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran. Hossein Akhlaghi hoseinakhlaghi599@gmail.com 100319475328460010407 100319475328460010407 No DVM Student of Veterinary Medicine (D. V. M), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran.