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Isolation of methicillin‐resistant S taphylococcus spp. from ready‐to‐eat fish products
Author(s) -
Sergelidis D.,
Abrahim A.,
Papadopoulos T.,
Soultos N.,
Martziou E.,
Koulourida V.,
Govaris A.,
Pexara A.,
Zdragas A.,
Papa A.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
letters in applied microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.698
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1472-765X
pISSN - 0266-8254
DOI - 10.1111/lam.12304
Subject(s) - staphylococcus saprophyticus , staphylococcus xylosus , microbiology and biotechnology , staphylococcus epidermidis , staphylococcus , staphylococcus aureus , staphylococcus intermedius , pulsed field gel electrophoresis , biology , staphylococcus haemolyticus , coagulase , staphylococcal infections , bacteria , genotype , biochemistry , genetics , gene
A hundred samples from ready‐to‐eat ( RTE ) fish products were examined for the presence and antimicrobial susceptibility of S taphylococcus spp. Staphylococci were isolated from 43% of these samples ( n = 100). The identified species in the samples were Staphylococcus aureus (7%), Staphylococcus epidermidis (13%), S taphylococcus xylosus (12%), S taphylococcus sciuri (4%), S taphylococcus warneri (3%), S taphylococcus saprophyticus (2%), S taphylococcus schleiferi (1%) and S taphylococcus auricularis (1%). Two Staph. aureus ( MRSA ) isolates, three Staph. epidermidis ( MRSE ), five Staph. xylosus , four Staph. sciuri , one Staph. schleiferi and one Staph. saprophyticus isolates were resistant to oxacillin and all of them carried the mec A gene. The two MRSA isolates belonged to the spa types t316 ( ST 359) and t548 ( ST 5) and none of them was able to produce enterotoxins. Pulsed field gel electrophoresis for Staph. aureus and Staph. epidermidis isolates revealed 6 and 11 distinct PFGE types, respectively, reflecting diversity. The presence of methicillin‐resistant staphylococci, especially MRSA and MRSE , in RTE fish products may constitute a potential health risk for consumers. Significance and Impact of the Study This study provides the first data on the occurrence of methicillin‐resistant S taphylococcus aureus and methicillin‐resistant coagulase‐negative staphylococci in salted and smoked fish products in Greece. These results are important and useful for Staphylococcus spp. risk assessment and management programmes for ready‐to‐eat fish products.