Characterization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates from food and food products of poultry origin in Germany.

Abstract

During a survey of fresh chicken and turkey meat as well as chicken and turkey meat products for the presence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates in Germany, 32 (37.2%) of 86 samples were MRSA positive. Twenty-eight of these MRSA isolates belonged to clonal complex 398 (CC398), which is widespread among food-producing animals. These CC398 isolates carried SCCmec elements of type IV or V and exhibited spa type t011, t034, t899, t2346 or t6574 and either the known dru types dt2b, dt6j, dt10a, dt10q, dt11a, dt11v, and dt11ab or the novel dru types dt6m, dt10as, and dt10at. In addition, two MRSA sequence type 9 (ST9) isolates with a type IV SCCmec cassette, spa type t1430, and dru type dt10a as well as single MRSA ST5 and ST1791 isolates with a type III SCCmec cassette, spa type t002, and dru type dt9v were identified. All but two isolates were classified as multiresistant. A wide variety of resistance phenotypes and genotypes were detected. All isolates were negative for the major virulence factors, such as Panton-Valentine leukocidin, toxic shock syndrome toxin 1, or exfoliative toxins. In contrast to the MRSA CC398 isolates, the four ST9, ST5, or ST1791 isolates harbored the egc gene cluster for enterotoxin G, I, M, N, O, and U genes. Although the relevance of contamination of fresh poultry meat or poultry products with MRSA is currently unclear, the presence of multiresistant and, in part, enterotoxigenic MRSA emphasizes the need for further studies to elucidate possible health hazards for consumers.

• Authors: Andrea T Fessler, Kristina Kadlec, Melanie Hassel, Tomasz Hauschild, Christopher Eidam, Ralf Ehricht, Stefan Monecke, Stefan Schwarz
• Journal: Applied and environmental microbiology (Appl Environ Microbiol) Vol. 77 Issue 20 Pg. 7151-7 (Oct 2011) ISSN: 1098-5336 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 21724898 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Anti-Bacterial Agents
• Bacterial Proteins
• Bacterial Toxins
• DNA, Bacterial
• Enterotoxins
• Exfoliatins
• Exotoxins
• Leukocidins
• Panton-Valentine leukocidin
• Penicillin-Binding Proteins
• Staphylococcal Protein A
• Superantigens
• Virulence Factors
• enterotoxin F, Staphylococcal
• mecA protein, Staphylococcus aureus

Topics

• Animals
• Anti-Bacterial Agents (pharmacology)
• Bacterial Proteins (genetics)
• Bacterial Toxins (genetics)
• Chickens
• DNA, Bacterial (genetics)
• Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial
• Enterotoxins (genetics)
• Exfoliatins (genetics)
• Exotoxins (genetics)
• Genes, Bacterial
• Germany
• Leukocidins (genetics)
• Meat (microbiology)
• Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (classification, drug effects, genetics, isolation & purification)
• Molecular Typing
• Multigene Family
• Penicillin-Binding Proteins
• Staphylococcal Protein A (genetics)
• Superantigens (genetics)
• Turkey
• Virulence Factors (genetics)