Eshraghi S, Salehipour Z, Pourmand Mr, Rahimi Forushani A, Zahraei Salehi Mt, Agha Amiri S, Bakhtyari R, Abedi Mohtasab Tp, Mardani N, Seyed Amiri S, Soltan Dallal Mm,
Volume 67, Issue 7 (10-2009)
Abstract
Background: Staphylococcus aureus is a major foodborne pathogen throughout the world. Enterotoxins and toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 are important virulence factors and as pyrogenic toxin superantigens have profound effects on the ir host. Thus circulation of TSST1 producing S.aureus among people and food chain is a worrying issue. The present paper was conducted to study Prevalence of tst, entC, entA and entA/C genes in staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from different foods.
Methods: Over 1040 food samples have been analyzed differentially according to Iran national standard (number= 1194) for S.aureus identification. After DNA extraction, PCR reactions were carried out by reference strain as positive control, adequate primers.
Results: At present study, prevalence of foodstuffs contaminated by S.aureus isolates was about 9.5% (100 strains). Of 25% of isolates producing entC, 28% (seven strains) had tst gene at the same time and of 8% of isolates producing entA, 12.5% (one strain) were positive for tst genes simultaneously. Altogether of 9% isolates producing combination of entC and entA, 44.4% (four strains) were also producer of tst gene.
Conclusion: Prevalence of TSST1 producing strains in combination with enterotoxin genes is considerable especially with entC and A plus C. On the other hand, circulation of these isolates in humans, animals, foods and environment has hazardous effect for general public health.
