Published in

Academic Journals, New York, Research Journal of Microbiology, 6(6), p. 510-523

DOI: 10.3923/jm.2011.510.523

Links

Tools

Export citation

Search in Google Scholar

The Prevalence of Multidrug-resistant Staphylococci in Food and the Environment of Makkah, Saudi Arabia

Journal article published in 2011 by H. H. Abulreesh ORCID, S. R., H . H., S. R. Organji
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

Full text: Download

Red circle
Preprint: archiving forbidden
Green circle
Postprint: archiving allowed
Green circle
Published version: archiving allowed
Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

The aim of this survey was to investigate the incidence of Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci and their antibiogram in food and the environment in Makkah, western Saudi Arabia. A total of 59 samples comprised of three different types of ready-to-drink raw milk (9 samples), four different types of cheese (12 samples), drinking water (10 samples), drinking water-related biofilm (18 samples) and nasal swabs of food handlers (10 samples). Staphylococci were detected using selective plating, employing Staphylococcus medium no. 110 and mannitol salt agar. Confirmation of isolates was carried out using Gram staining, production of catalase, coagulase and type of blood heamolysis. Disk diffusion method was used to test susceptibility patterns of staphylococci against seven antibiotics. The results showed that staphylococci were present in almost all types of samples. Staph. aureus were prevalent in raw milk, cheese, mucous membranes and to a degree, in biofilm. Multidrug-resistance was noted in both coagulase-positive and coagulase-negative isolates from all types of samples. A remarkable level of resistance to beta-lactams and glycopeptides was exhibited by Staph. aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci recovered from all types of samples. The results reported in this study clearly showed the wide spread of multidrug-resistant Staph. aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci in food and the environment and highlighted their public health hazards. To our best knowledge this study is the first to provide evidence of the existence of multidrug-resistant Staph. aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci in food and the environment in Makkah, western Saudi Arabia.