Prevalence and Antibiotic Resistance Pattern of Staphylococcus Aureus Strains Isolated from
Food Stuff Soltan Dallal MM۱, Agha Amiri S۲, Eshraghian MR۳, Sabour Yaraghi AA۴, Faramarzi T۵, Mahdavi V۶, Saberpour F۷, Fazeli Fard P۷, Peymaneh Abedi Mohtasab TP۱ ۱ Dev of Microbiology, Dept of Pathobiology, School of Public Health and Institute of Public Health Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran ۲ Dept of Microbiology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran ۳ Dept of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health and Institute of Public Health Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran ۴ Dept of Biochemistry and Nutrition, School of Public Health and Institute of Public Health Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran ۵
Food and Hygiene Control Laboratory (FHCL), Deputy of
Food and Drug, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran ۶
Food and Hygiene Control Laboratory (FHCL), Deputy of
Food and Drug, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran ۷
Food and Hygiene Control Laboratory (FHCL), Deputy of
Food and Drug, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Corresponding Authorchr('۳۹')s Address: Dev of Microbiology, Dept of Pathobiology, School of Public Health and Institute of Public Health Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran E-mail: soltanda@sina.tums.ac.ir Received: ۱ Sept, ۲۰۰۸ Accepted: ۳ Nov, ۲۰۰۸ Background and Objective: Staphylococcus aureus is considered to be one of the leading causes of food-borne illnesses. Foodstuff contamination may occur directly from contaminated food-producing animals or may result from poor hygiene during food production processes, or the retail and storage of foods, since humans may carry the microorganism. The number of S.aureus strains that exhibits antimicrobial-resistance properties has increased, together with the potential risk of transmitting the same properties to the human microflora via food or inducing infections hard to be treated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of S.aureus in various food samples and determination of antibiotic resistance pattern in this isolates. Materials and Methods: A total of ۱۰۴۷ food samples were analysed from July ۲۰۰۶ to December ۲۰۰۷. To determine the presence of S.aureus, the samples were analysed according to the guidelines of Iran standard instructions (No.۱۱۹۴). S.aureus isolates were tested for susceptibility to a panel of ۱۱ antimicrobics using the agar disc diffusion method on Muller-Hinton agar. Results: Of ۱۰۴۷ samples analysed ۱۰۰ (۹.۵%) were contaminated with S.aureus. Among these contaminated samples, ۳۱% showed antimicrobial resistance properties to at least one of the antibiotic tested and ۱۵ antibiotypes were determined. Conclusion: According to the observed prevalence of S.aureus strains in food samples and their antibiotic resistance pattern, more attention shonld be paid in foodstuff industry to prevent contamination and transmission of resistant strains.