Occurrence of virulent and antibiotic resistant Staphylococcus species in ready-to-eat Rhynchophorus phoenicis and Archachatina marginata vended along the Port Harcourt-Bayelsa route

Abstract

This study was aimed at determining the occurrence of Staphylococcus species in ready-to-eat (RTE) Rhynchophorus phoenicis (edible larvae) and Archachatina marginata (land snail) vended along Port Harcourt-Bayelsa route. Eighty samples from four locations were analysed employing standard techniques for proximate and microbiological analyses; virulence determination and antibiotic susceptibility. Data were statistically analyzed using ANOVA and t-test. The mean proximate results revealed the presence of protein (26.01/13.6%), lipid (18.9/3.88%), fibre (5.12/2.01%), ash (3.40/1.11%), moisture (13.47/59.5%) and carbohydrate (32.43/20.07%) for edible larvae/snail, respectively. Of the 80 samples examined, 33 (41.25%) and 52 (65.00%) had total viable bacterial counts and total staphylococcal counts above acceptable microbiological limits, respectively for RTE foods. Seven of the 81 characterized Staphylococcus produced the expected band of 950 bp with sea virulent genes while three produced expected bands of 550 bp with seb virulent genes. Three Staphylococcus aureus strains from edible larvae harboured both virulent genes. The virulent genes bearing Staphylococcus were 100% resistant to augmentin, ceftazidime and cloxacillin but showed varying resistance against ceftriaxone (57.14%), cefuroxime (28.57%), vancomycin (42.86%), oxacillin (42.86%) and cefoxitin (42.86%). The study showed that these RTE foods are potential sources of staphylococcal food poisoning in commuters; hence, food vendors need to conform to standard practice.

OCCURRENCE OF VIRULENCE GENES OF Staphylococcus aureus AND Escherichia coli IN VENDED FOODS IN SELECTED MOTOR-PARKS IN OBIO/AKPOR, RIVERS STATE

“…The polymerase chain reaction results for detection of the virulence genes sea and seb in S. aureus showed that all S. aureus strains did not possess both virulence genes. The result from this study is in contradiction to the finding of Ngoka et al (2021) who reported presence of sea and seb genes in S. aureus strains isolated from readyto-eat Rhynchophorus phoenicis and Archachatina marginata vended along the Port Harcourt-Bayelsa route. The PCR result for amplification of the aggR, eaeA and astA virulence genes showed that aggR had the highest prevalence of 4 (28.58%) positives, followed by astA, 3 (21.44%) while eaeA had the lowest of 14.29%.…”

“…These can be administered for treatment of Staphylococcus mediated illness. The S. aureus strains were 100% resistant against augmentin, cloxacin and ceftadizine This is in agreement with previous study by Ngoka et al (2021). Other studies have reported higher resistance to gentamycin and ofloxacin by different microorganisms (Afolabi et al, 2017).…”

“…The cells were centrifuged at 10,000 g for 5 min. The supernatant was transferred into fresh Eppendorf tubes as described by Ngoka et al (2021).…”