Methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus: a controversial food-borne pathogen

Abstract

Significance and Impact of the Study: This review evaluates the potential of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) as food-borne pathogens based on the current knowledge about the epidemiology of MRSA, their prevalence in livestock, foods of animal origin and humans, and their ability to produce enterotoxins. AbstractMethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major cause of severe healthcare-associated (HA) infections. Although during the last decade the incidence of HA invasive infections has dropped, the incidence of communityassociated MRSA (CA-MRSA) infections has risen among the general population. Moreover, CA-MRSA, livestock-associated MRSA (LA-MRSA) and HA-MRSA (HA-MRSA) can be found in foods intended for human consumption. Several studies from different geographical areas have reported the presence of enterotoxin genes in several MRSA food isolates. Molecular typing studies have revealed genetic relatedness of these enterotoxigenic isolates with isolates incriminated in human infections. The contamination sources for foods, especially animal-origin foods, may be livestock as well as humans involved in animal husbandry and food-processing. Under favourable environmental conditions for growth and enterotoxin production, enterotoxigenic S. aureus isolates present in foods can cause staphylococcal food poisoning (SFP), irrespective of the contamination origin. Owing to the typically moderate clinical manifestations of SFP, the S. aureus strains responsible for SFP (cases or outbreaks) are frequently either not identified or not further characterized. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing is rarely performed, because administration of antimicrobial therapy is not required in the vast majority of cases. Staphylococcal food poisoning is the result of consumption of foods with preformed enterotoxins. Hence, similar to methicillin-sensitive enterotoxigenic S. aureus, enterotoxigenic MRSA can also act as food-borne pathogens upon favourable conditions for growth and enterotoxin production. The severity of the intoxication is not related to the antimicrobial resistance profile of the causative S. aureus strain and therefore MRSA food-borne outbreaks are not expected to be more severe.

Investigation of mecA gene, virulence traits and antibiotic resistance profiles in methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates from dairy products

“…This type of outbreaks is caused by consumption of contaminated foods (foods of animal origin or multi-ingredient foods) (Sergelidis & Angelidis, 2017). In this survey, the incidence of MRSA strains in milk and dairy samples was 15.1% (98/650).…”

“…Bacteria responsible for foodborne outbreaks are not subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing; thus, the available data on antimicrobial resistant bacteria linked to outbreaks are generally poor. This type of outbreaks is caused by consumption of contaminated foods (foods of animal origin or multi‐ingredient foods) (Sergelidis & Angelidis, ). In this survey, the incidence of MRSA strains in milk and dairy samples was 15.1% (98/650).…”

“…However, Demirci, Yığın, Kılıç Altun, Dınç, and Erol () identified MRSA by the presence of the mec A gene in 2 out of 64 yogurt samples collected in Şanlıurfa, Turkey. The presence of MRSA in milk and dairy products depends on its ability to survive in various environments and the opportunistic pathogen nature of S. aureus (Sergelidis & Angelidis, ).…”

Prevalence and antibiotic resistance profiles ofStaphylococcussp. isolated from food, food contact surfaces and food handlers in a Moroccan hospital kitchen

“…Due to the use of organic manure/sludge and irrigation of wastewater or reclaimed water in the agricultural land, a significant amount of antibiotics, such as tetracycline and quinolones, are found in soils, which can increase the amount of antibiotics in food chain (Amábile‐Cuevas ). In addition, it may induce resistance to unrelated and clinically relevant antibiotics, in a phenomenon known as cross‐resistance (Sergelidis and Angelidis ; Oniciuc et al ).…”

“…15 (100) 15 (100) 15 (100) 3 (20) Hand carriage 20 20 (100) 3 (15Á0) 20 (100) 10 (50) 19 (95) 17 (85) 7 (3) 19 (95) 20 (100) 20 ( Additionally, the most prevalent resistance pattern in food samples was P, FD, OXA and FOX (penicillin G, oxacillin, acid fusidic and cefoxitin). This result can be explained by the fact that the beta-lactams are widely used as routine factors for growth in veterinary medicine (specially penicillins) (Hudson et al 2017;Sergelidis and Angelidis 2017;Alnakip et al 2019;Zehra et al 2019).…”