Prevalence, multiple antibiotic resistance and virulence profile of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in retail poultry meat from Edo, Nigeria

Abstract

IntroductionStaphylococcus aureus causes staphylococcal food poisoning and several difficult-to-treat infections. The occurrence and dissemination of methicillin-resistance S. aureus (MRSA) in Nigeria is crucial and well documented in hospitals. However, findings on MRSA from meat in the country are yet to be adequately reported. The current study determined the prevalence, virulence profile and antibiogram characteristics of MRSA from a raw chicken product from retail outlets within Edo.MethodsA total of 368 poultry meat samples were assessed for MRSA using a standard culture-based approach and characterized further using a molecular method. The antimicrobial susceptibility profile of the isolates was determined using the disc diffusion method. The biofilm profile of the isolates was assayed via the crystal violet microtitre-plate method. Virulence and antimicrobial resistance genes were screened using polymerase chain reaction via specific primers.ResultsOf the samples tested, 110 (29.9%) were positive for MRSA. All the isolates were positive for deoxyribonuclease (DNase), coagulase and beta-hemolysis production. Biofilm profile revealed 27 (24.55%) weak biofilm formers, 18 (16.36%) moderate biofilm formers, and 39 (35.45%) strong biofilm formers. The isolates harboured 2 and ≤17 virulence genes. Enterotoxin gene profiling revealed that 100 (90.9%) isolates harboured one or more genes. Resistance against the tested antibiotics followed the order: tetracycline 64(58.2%), ciprofloxacin 71(64.6%), trimethoprim 71(64.6%) and rifampin 103(93.6%). A total of 89 isolates were multidrug-resistant, while 3 isolates were resistant to all 22 antibiotics tested. The isolates harboured antimicrobial-resistant determinants such as methicillin-resistant gene (mecA), tetracycline resistance genes (tetK, tetL), erythromycin resistance genes (ermA, ermC), trimethoprim resistance gene (dfrK). All the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) IVa and SCCmec V positive isolates harboured the Panton-Valentine Leukocidin Gene (PVL).ConclusionIn conclusion, S. aureus was resistant to commonly used antibiotics; a concern to public health concerning the transmission of these pathogens after consuming these highlight the significance of antimicrobial and enterotoxigenic monitoring of S. aureus in food chains.

Characterization of resistance and virulence factors in livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

“…The excessive use of antibiotics in livestock, observed in our study area, may be a key driver in the selection of AMR strains. The diverse resistance patterns identified in our research can be attributed to the prolonged and indiscriminate application of various antimicrobial classes in modern agriculture, as highlighted in previous studies 27 , 30 . Bernier-Lachance et al 3 findings, where all isolates exhibited intermediate or full resistance to β-lactams, align with our results.…”

“…DNA extraction was conducted following a previously established protocol 30 , 49 . To resuscitate all isolates, they were placed in 5 mL of tryptone soy broth after an initial 24-h incubation at 37 °C.…”

“…The resulting cell pellets were washed and re-suspended in phosphate-buffered solution (PBS) adjusted to pH 7.2, targeting 0.5 McFarland standards. The prepared suspension inoculants were introduced into the wells of sterile 96-well polystyrene microtiter plates containing 20 mL of cell suspensions and 180 mL of TSB to investigate the adherence of Staphylococci to a solid surface, following the procedure described previously 30 . The negative control wells contained only TSB broth, while S. aureus ATCC 12600 served as the positive control.…”

Potential of Natural Phenolic Compounds as Antimicrobial Agents against Multidrug-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Chicken Meat

“…In this study, our findings indicate that S. aureus strains isolated from chicken meat could be a reservoir of resistance and virulence genes. In this regard, in Nigeria, Igbinosa et al [ 65 ] found that of 368 poultry meat samples, 110 (29.9%) were positive for MRSA. Moreover, Ruzauskas et al [ 66 ] reported that 95% of retail raw chicken meat samples in Lithuanian markets were infected with Staphylococcus spp.…”

The Occurrence and Characteristics of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcal Isolates from Foods and Containers

“…The widespread consumption of antibiotics in the livestock sector has led to their persistent release into the environment and increased antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Numerous studies have demonstrated the presence of mec A-positive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in various food sources, such as retail meat, fish, poultry, pork, beef, ready-to-eat foods, and even vegetables [ 11 , 19 , 20 , 21 ]. Additionally, CoNS carrying mec A, which are known for their increasing rates of methicillin resistance, have been detected in milk at a rate of 0.6% in Brazil and 6.7% in Tunisia [ 22 , 23 ], in ready-to-eat foods at a rate of 16.4% in Poland [ 24 ], and in meat at a rate 2.3–8% in Egypt [ 25 , 26 ], which raises additional concerns about the spread of resistance.…”