Investigation of prevalence of methicillin sensitive and resistant staphylococcus aureus in beef, chicken, Turkey, and duck meats

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the presence of methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in ground beef, chicken, turkey and duck meats. Material and Methods: A total of 325 samples including 100 chicken meats, 100 turkey meats, 25 frozen duck carcasses and 100 ground beef meats were collected from supermarkets and butchers in Diyarbakir city. Each sample was introduced into enrichment broth containing Mueller Hinton Broth + 6,5% NaCl and then the suspension was incubated for 24 hours at 37 °C (primary enrichment). After the incubation one loopful of the enriched suspension was streaked onto Baird Parker agar for MSSA detection, and Oxacillin Resistant Staphylococci Isolation Medium agar (ORSIM) for MRSA detection (Method A for MRSA). One ml of the primary enrichment broth was put into a selective enrichment broth containing Tryptone Soy broth tubes with 3.5mg/L cefoxitin and 50mg/L aztreonam. After overnight incubation, the selective enrichment broth was subcultured on ORSIM agar for MRSA detection (Method B for MRSA). Presumptive MSSA and MRSA colonies were confirmed with a catalase, coagulase, latex agglutination test and Vitek II bacterial identification system. The presence of nuc and mecA genes in the MSSA and MRSA isolates was detected by using PCR. Susceptibility to cefoxitin was determined by using disk diffusion according to the EUCAST. Results: 186 (57,2%) of the 325 samples analyzed were contaminated with MSSA. It was determined that 108 (33,2%) of the 219 S. aureus isolates obtained from the 186 samples were coagulase positive S. aureus (CPS). Prevalence of CPS was found to be statistically significant difference between ground beef meats and poultry meats (chicken, turkey, duck) (P<0,05). None of 118 suspicious isolates determined by Method A was S. aureus but all the isolates carried mecA gene; 4 (5,4%) of 73 suspicious isolates determined by Method B carried both nuc and mecA gene and resistant to cefoxitin (MRSA) while the remaining 69 isolates were not S. aureus but carried mecA gene. Conclusion: This study results showed that foods of animal origin could be contaminated with CPS and MRSA that are important in terms of public health and food safety. The effective implementation of international food safety systems such as HACCP and ISO 22000 will be effective in the prevention of the public health risks that could originate from this pathogen.