Molecular detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolated from different foodstuffs in Egypt

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection is a major public health problem. Therefore, this study was aimed to estimate the prevalence of MRSA in various food products. A total number of ۲۰۴ food samples including raw milk (n = ۳۰), cheese (n = ۶۰), chicken (n = ۲۵), beef (n = ۲۴) and fish (n = ۶۵) were collected from August to November of ۲۰۲۱ within different localities in Kafr El-Sheikh governorate, the northern region of Egypt. All samples were assessed through a series of bacteriological and biochemical techniques to identify MRSA. Out of ۲۰۴ samples, ۵۲(۲۵.۴۹%) isolates were presumptively identified as MRSA on oxacillin resistance screening agar base media. Of these ۵۲ isolates, ۱۷(۳۲.۶۹%) were characterized as coagulase-positive. For the molecular confirmation of MRSA, all isolates were subjected to polymerase chain reaction assays to detect mecA and mecC. In addition, mecA was identified in all the isolates (۱۰۰%), whereas, none was positive for mecC. Therefore, based on the detection of mecA, the overall occurrence rate of MRSA among the samples was ۸.۳۳%. The isolates were also subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility tests. Cefoxitin, cefuroxime, oxacillin and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid were completely resistant (۱۰۰%) to the isolates, however, susceptible to vancomycin and ciprofloxacin. Raw milk had the highest prevalence of MRSA (۱۳.۳۰%), followed by chicken (۱۲.۰۰%), fish (۹.۲۰%), cheese (۵.۰۰%) and beef (۴.۲۰%). Due to the possibility of transmission of these strains to humans, the high prevalence of MRSA in various foodstuffs in Egypt poses a potential public health risk.

کلیدواژه ها:

Egypt ، food ، MRSA ، Polymerase chain reaction