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Antibiotic resistance and incidence of Enterococcus species in Turkish white cheese
Author(s) -
Çitak Sumru,
Yucel Nihal,
Orhan Sati
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
international journal of dairy technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.061
H-Index - 53
eISSN - 1471-0307
pISSN - 1364-727X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-0307.2004.00122.x
Subject(s) - ampicillin , vancomycin , imipenem , microbiology and biotechnology , enterococcus faecalis , enterococcus , antibiotic resistance , biology , erythromycin , antibiotics , bacteria , staphylococcus aureus , genetics
Thirty samples of Turkish white cheese were analysed for the presence of Enterococcus spp., and presumptive isolates were identified by morphological, cultural and biochemical tests and confirmed by the API 20 Strep System. Among the 101 isolates of Enterococcus spp., 62 were E. faecalis , 25 were E. faecium , seven were E. durans , five were E. mundtii and two were E. hirae/dispar . The resistance of the isolates to 13 different antibiotics was determined by the Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion test. Resistance to streptomycin, erythromycin, oxacillin and vancomycin was frequently found in these enterococci, and resistance to vancomycin was found in 96.8% of E. faecalis isolates and 76% E. faecium . The most effective antimicrobials were ampicillin (69.3% of isolates inhibited) and imipenem (76.3% of isolates inhibited). This examination confirmed the presence of enterococci, especially vancomycin‐resistant strains, in Turkish white cheese, indicating poor sanitary conditions during production and processing and a significant health risk for consumers.