Molecular detection of Staphylococcal enterotoxins and mecA genes products in food samples collected from different areas in Khartoum state.

Abstract

Background: Staphylococcal Food Poisoning is an intoxication that results from the consumption of improperly prepared or stored foods containing sufficient amounts of one or more preformed S. aureus enterotoxins. Now days many researchers worldwide noted an emerging of resistant strains Staphylococci especially for the antibiotic Methicillin. Therefore, this study was aimed to determine the existence of Staphylococcus aureus and its enterotoxins, mecA genes in food samples.Results: A total of 400 samples were collected from different areas in Khartoum state. The type of foods included Cheese, Meat products, Fish and Raw milk, 100 samples for each. out of 400 samples cultivated 137 (34.25 %) isolates were identified as S. aureus, 126 (31.5%) were identified as bacteria other than S. aureus and 137 (34.25%) were yield no growth. Of 137 S. aureus isolates, 84 were randomly selected and examined for the presence mecA and enterotoxin genes products. Oxacillin sensitivity test showed that 15(11%) of 137 S.aureus isolates were Oxacillin resistant. The PCR assay showed that mecA gene was detected in 15 of 84 (17%) S. aureus isolates. While only 2 (2.385%) out of 84 S. aureus isolates were show an enterotoxin B gene product. Conclusion: There was a relatively moderate prevalence of Methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus with very low frequency of enterotoxin B gene in different kinds of food samples which collected from Khartoum state. These findings highlight the high potential risk for consumers of meat and dairy products especially in the absence of strict hygienic and preventive measures to avoid Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxins production in foods.