Occurrence and antimicrobial susceptibility profile of Staphylococcus aureus from raw cow milk and traditionally processed dairy products in and around Hawassa town, Sidama, Ethiopia
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Date
2024
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Addis Abeba University
Abstract
Staphylococcal foodborne poisoning is a well-known global health concern. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence of Staphylococcus aureus and its antimicrobial susceptibility profiles in raw cow milk and traditionally processed dairy products in Hawassa town, Sidama Region, Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study conducted from December 2023 to May 2024. Totally 386 samples were collected and cultured using standard microbiological techniques and further identification and confirmation of S. aureus was done using MALDITOF method and conventional PCR was used to detect the resistance gene. S. aureus was
isolated and identified in 54 (13.99%) of the samples, with the highest prevalence in raw milk (20.7%), followed by bulk tank milk (5.0%) and yoghurt (2.4%). Number of S. aureus was not detected in cheese samples. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed high resistance to Tetracycline (46.3%), Penicillin G (85.2%), Ampicillin (92.6%), and Amoxicillin (100%). Notably, 87.4% of the S. aureus isolates exhibited multiple drug resistance, posing a significant public health concern. PCR-based detection showed that all 25(46.3%) S. aureus isolates were positive for the nuc gene, but none possessed the mecA or blaZ genes. A questioner survey found that 40(40.0%) of the population consumed raw milk, 61(61.0%) had no food safety knowledge, and 77(77.0%) were unaware of Staphylococci foodborne illness. These findings demonstrate the need for improved food safety and hygiene practices, as well as the development of new antimicrobial containment strategies to address the high prevalence of MDR S. aureus in milk and milk products. Further investigation is warranted to understand the mechanisms of S. aureus resistance to methicillin resistance and β-lactam antibiotics.
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Keywords
Antimicrobial resistance, Milkers hand, S. aureus, Dairy products, MALDI-TOF