Study of antibiotic resistance of Staphylococcus aureus detected in meat processing plants and points of sale of raw beef

Abstract

Aim: detect a contamination of the Staphylococcus aureus in the beef’s samples collected from meat processing plants and points of sale of raw beef and to determine an antibiotic resistance. Materials and Methods: This study was carried out using a snapshot research model. Staphylococcus was detected in the sample according to ISO 6888-1:2021. NucA gene, 270 bp, encoding the S. aureus species-specific thermocycles enzyme was amplified by PCR and confirmed by differentiation. Antibiotic sensitivity was determined by disc diffusion method named as Kirby–Bauer. Susceptibility and resistance were evaluated according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines (CLSI M100-S27) by measuring the diameter of the growth retardation zone around the antibiotic disc. Number of genes especially Mecillin-resistant and penicillin-binding protein (PBP 2A) encoding mecA and mecC genes, vancomycin-resistant protein encoding vanA and vanB were also detected by PCR. IBM SPSS 25 using quantitative and qualitative variables was used for statistical analysis of study. Differences between groups were assessed by ANOVA test. The test criterion was considered to be statistically significant if p<0.05 Results: Sample analysis was revealed no contamination of S. aureus in 160 samples collected from meat processing plants. However, 25.9% of the samples collected from the meat market were contaminated with S. aureus. S. aureus detected in the raw beef samples was most resistant to oxacillin, ampicillin, and penicillin. However, more than half of the strains detected in surface swab samples were resistant to oxacillin, tetracycline, azithromycin, and clindamycin. When 4 genes that are responsible for antibiotic resistance were detected in S.aureus strains, but vanA, vanB, and mecC genes were not detected at all. Penicillin-binding protein (PBP 2A) encoding gene (mecA) was detected in 24.4% (n=10) of raw beef samples and 35.7% (n=5) of surface swabs, respectively. Conclusion: The meat trading point are more contaminated with S. aureus, and thus, detected strains are highly resistant to antibiotics, indicating a high risk of food poisoning caused by S. aureus. Complications will be occurred during treatment of food poisoning caused by contaminated food and infection.