Isolation and Characterization of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (Mrsa) From Table Eggs

Abstract

Eggs continue to be significant in terms of the world economy and human nutrition and routine non-therapeutic antimicrobial use and overcrowding in animal farming may facilitate the propagation of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of MR Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in table eggs production. Three hundred and fifty eggs represent 35 samples from balady egg and 35 sample from poultry farm egg (each sample 5 egg) were tested for isolation of Staphylococcus aureus. These findings are important for local risk assessments concerning possible human foodborne infections via cross-contamination of eggs. S. aureus was isolated from balady and poultry farm egg shell in percentage of 57.1 and 80 %, also S. aureus could be isolated from the content of balady and poultry farm egg in percentages of 74.4 and 85.8 %, respectively. In addition, S. aureus was identified by the coagulase test and our findings showed that 37.1 and 51.4% of examined samples of balady and poultry farm, respectively were coagulase positive S. aureus. Notably, 34.3% and 48.6% of coagulase positive S. aureus isolates were isolated from balady and poultry farm egg contents, respectively. The results revealed that the incidence of coagulase negative staphylococci on examined balady egg shell and contents were 20 and 40%, respectively. Coagulase negative staphylococci was isolated in a percentage of 10 (28.6%) and 13 )37.1%) from examined poultry farms egg shells and contents. Identification mecA gene carriage, hence MRSA, using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) revealed that 3 from 10 samples were positive for mecA by using (PCR) in percentage of (30%). Risk of egg borne disease strongly increases because of unhygienic conditions of egg production and improper practices of egg handling, including also storage times and temperatures. If all the necessary precautions are not taken during the poultry production, marketing and processing chains in that case poultry meat and eggs can be contaminated by infectious agents that are harmful to humans.