An emerging zoonosis: molecular detection of multidrug-methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus from butchers ’ knives, livestock products and contact surfaces

This study aimed to investigate the occurrence, molecular detection, and antibiogram of the MRSA strain in fresh beef, contact surfaces, and butchers ’ knives from the four major abattoirs (Karu, Gwagwalada, Deidei, and Kubwa) located in the Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to collect 400 swab samples from butchers’ knives (132), fresh beef (136), and contact surfaces (132). Presumptive colonies on mannitol salt agar were subjected to culture, isolation, and biotyping. The antibiogram was carried out via a Kirby-Bauer disk containing eight antibiotics. MRSA was phenotypically confirmed by oxacillin-resistant screening agar base (ORSAB) and genotypically by PCR to detect the presence of themecA gene. Out of the 400 samples, 47.24% of fresh beef, 37% of contact surfaces, and 64.33% of butchers ’ knife swabs wereStaphylococcus aureus positive. Thirty-twoStaphylococcus aureus-positive isolates were confirmed to be MRSA, 50% fresh beef, 28.12% contact surfaces, and 21.87% butcher ’s knife swabs. MRSA isolates displayed multidrug-resistant traits, with a high resistance of 90.62% against cloxacillin, and a highest susceptibility of 100% to co-trimaxole. The antibiogram showed MRSA strains to be multidrug resistant. Molecular characterisation of the MRSA detected the presenc e of themecA gene at a band size of 163  bp in all isolates. Strict hygiene of butchers, and working equipment in meat processing and marketing should be of ...
Source: Veterinary Research Communications - Category: Veterinary Research Source Type: research