Enterotoxin Production and Antibiotic Resistance Profile of Staphylococcus aureus Isolated from Meat Samples

Abstract

Objective: Staphylococcal food poisoning is a major human disease that is causes by the ingestion of food contaminated by staphylococcal enterotoxins produced mainly by enterotoxigenic Staphylococcus aureus. The aim of this study was to evaluate the public health risks of the raw meat samples marketed in Giresun and Trabzon provinces regarding the contamination of Staphylococcus aureus, enterotoxin capacity of the isolates and their resistance to various antibiotics. Material and Method: A total of 30 raw bovine meat products and 38 raw chicken meat products were analyzed for micrococci/staphylococci and total staphylococci. The identification and antibiotic resistance of isolates were determined with the VITEK 2 device. Classical type enterotoxin presence in staphylococcal isolates was determined and typed using Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay technique. Results: The microbial loads of micrococci/staphylococci were 101 to 105 cfu/g and total staphylococci 101 to 105 cfu/g, respectively in 68 meat samples. A total of 171 staphylococci organisms were isolated from the studied 68 meat samples. Among the isolates obtained, one isolate (1.03%) detected in the raw chicken meat was found to be Staphylococcus aureus. This isolate was found to have the ability of producing enterotoxin and to produce E type enterotoxin. S.aureus isolate was resistant only to benzylpenicillin, while it was sensitive to other antibiotics. Conclusion: The results of the study indicated that antibiotic-resistant and enterotoxigenic Staphylococcus aureus poses a significant hygienic risk for consumers. Due to the posing a risk for staphylococcal food poisoning cases and threatening public health over time, extensive studies should be conducted on this subject.

Keywords

• antibiyotik dirençliliği
• enterotoksin
• et
• staphylococcus aureus
• antibiotic resistance
• enterotoxin
• meat
• staphylococcus aureus