Background and Objective: One of the main causes of cheese contamination with S.aureus is the use of unpasteurized milk. Improper cheese processing methods can also lead to contamination with this bacterium. Considering the significant role of S.aureus in foodborne intoxications and the World Health Organization’s recommendation for continuous surveillance of this bacterium, this cross-sectional study aims to determine the prevalence and antibiotic resistance pattern of S.aureus in traditional sheep cheese from Chalous (Mazandaran Province, Iran).
Materials and Methods: A total of 45 samples of traditional sheep cheese were randomly collected from local dairy shops in Chalous. Initially, the samples were examined for contamination with S.aureus using culture-based methods. Finally, the antibiotic resistance pattern of the isolates against nine different antibiotics were determined using the disk diffusion method.
Results: Among 45 collected samples of traditional sheep cheese, 17 samples (37.8%) were contaminated with S. aureus. Of the 18 isolates obtained from traditional Chalus cheese samples, the highest resistance was observed against penicillin (64.7%) and tetracycline (58.8%), whereas the lowest resistance was detected against gentamicin and erythromycin (23.5%). Moreover, the 17 isolates obtained from traditional sheep cheese samples exhibited simultaneous resistance to 2 to 8 antibiotics.
Conclusion: A high level of contamination with S.aureus in traditional sheep cheeses produced in Chalous (Mazandaran, Iran), was observed. Adherence to hygienic practices in dairy farms and the implementation of public health education can help prevent secondary contamination during cheese processing and reduce the widespread dissemination of this bacterium in traditional dairy products.
