Antimicrobial Resistance, Virulence Gene Profiling, and Spa Typing of <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> Isolated from Retail Chicken Meat in Alabama, USA

Antibiotic-resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (<i>S. aureus</i>) in retail meat poses a public health threat requiring continuous surveillance. This study investigated the frequency of isolation, toxin genes, and antibiotic resistance profile of <i>S. aureus</i&g...

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Main Authors: Rawah Faraj, Hazem Ramadan, Kingsley E. Bentum, Bilal Alkaraghulli, Yilkal Woube, Zakaria Hassan, Temesgen Samuel, Abiodun Adesiyun, Charlene R. Jackson, Woubit Abebe
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Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Pathogens
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/14/2/107
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author Rawah Faraj
Hazem Ramadan
Kingsley E. Bentum
Bilal Alkaraghulli
Yilkal Woube
Zakaria Hassan
Temesgen Samuel
Abiodun Adesiyun
Charlene R. Jackson
Woubit Abebe
author_facet Rawah Faraj
Hazem Ramadan
Kingsley E. Bentum
Bilal Alkaraghulli
Yilkal Woube
Zakaria Hassan
Temesgen Samuel
Abiodun Adesiyun
Charlene R. Jackson
Woubit Abebe
author_sort Rawah Faraj
collection DOAJ
description Antibiotic-resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (<i>S. aureus</i>) in retail meat poses a public health threat requiring continuous surveillance. This study investigated the frequency of isolation, toxin genes, and antibiotic resistance profile of <i>S. aureus</i> recovered from retail poultry meat samples and presented results beneficial to public health interventions. Of 200 samples collected, 16% (32/200) tested positive for <i>S. aureus</i>, and these were recovered from thigh 37.5% (12/32), wing 34.4% (11/32), gizzard (15.6% (5/32), and liver 12.5% (4/32) samples. Findings of spa typing analysis revealed that 68.8% (22/32), 18.8% (6/32), 9.4% (3/32), and 3.0% (1/32) of the isolates belonged to the spa types t267, t160, t548, and t008, respectively. For antibiotic susceptibility testing, 12.5% (4/32) of the isolates were resistant to only penicillin, but one isolate (1/32; 3%) showed resistance to the antibiotics penicillin, erythromycin, ampicillin, and oxacillin. PCR analysis revealed that 9.4% (3/32) of the isolates carried the mecA gene associated with methicillin-resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (MRSA) isolates. One MRSA isolate was identified as a t008 spa type, and harbored a 26,974 bp-sized plasmid, which was the source of its resistance to penicillin, ampicillin, erythromycin, and oxacillin. The staphylococcal enterotoxin (SE) genes <i>seg</i>, <i>sei</i>, <i>sek</i>, <i>seb</i>, <i>selm</i>, and <i>seln</i> were also identified among the isolates, and mostly the antimicrobial and enterotoxin genes were carried on plasmids of the isolates. This study raises awareness on the continuous circulation of pathogenic microbes like <i>S. aureus</i> in retail poultry meat.
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spelling doaj-art-d1d5e8e75f9f4d238b51cfa0e97223ac2025-08-20T02:44:53ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172025-01-0114210710.3390/pathogens14020107Antimicrobial Resistance, Virulence Gene Profiling, and Spa Typing of <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> Isolated from Retail Chicken Meat in Alabama, USARawah Faraj0Hazem Ramadan1Kingsley E. Bentum2Bilal Alkaraghulli3Yilkal Woube4Zakaria Hassan5Temesgen Samuel6Abiodun Adesiyun7Charlene R. Jackson8Woubit Abebe9Center for Food Animal Health, Food Safety and Defense, Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 36088, USAHygiene and Zoonoses Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, EgyptCenter for Food Animal Health, Food Safety and Defense, Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 36088, USACenter for Food Animal Health, Food Safety and Defense, Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 36088, USACenter for Food Animal Health, Food Safety and Defense, Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 36088, USACenter for Food Animal Health, Food Safety and Defense, Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 36088, USACenter for Food Animal Health, Food Safety and Defense, Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 36088, USAFaculty of Medical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine 999183, Trinidad and TobagoPoultry Microbiological Safety and Processing Research Unit USDA-ARS, U.S. National Poultry Research Center, Athens, GA 30605, USACenter for Food Animal Health, Food Safety and Defense, Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 36088, USAAntibiotic-resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (<i>S. aureus</i>) in retail meat poses a public health threat requiring continuous surveillance. This study investigated the frequency of isolation, toxin genes, and antibiotic resistance profile of <i>S. aureus</i> recovered from retail poultry meat samples and presented results beneficial to public health interventions. Of 200 samples collected, 16% (32/200) tested positive for <i>S. aureus</i>, and these were recovered from thigh 37.5% (12/32), wing 34.4% (11/32), gizzard (15.6% (5/32), and liver 12.5% (4/32) samples. Findings of spa typing analysis revealed that 68.8% (22/32), 18.8% (6/32), 9.4% (3/32), and 3.0% (1/32) of the isolates belonged to the spa types t267, t160, t548, and t008, respectively. For antibiotic susceptibility testing, 12.5% (4/32) of the isolates were resistant to only penicillin, but one isolate (1/32; 3%) showed resistance to the antibiotics penicillin, erythromycin, ampicillin, and oxacillin. PCR analysis revealed that 9.4% (3/32) of the isolates carried the mecA gene associated with methicillin-resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (MRSA) isolates. One MRSA isolate was identified as a t008 spa type, and harbored a 26,974 bp-sized plasmid, which was the source of its resistance to penicillin, ampicillin, erythromycin, and oxacillin. The staphylococcal enterotoxin (SE) genes <i>seg</i>, <i>sei</i>, <i>sek</i>, <i>seb</i>, <i>selm</i>, and <i>seln</i> were also identified among the isolates, and mostly the antimicrobial and enterotoxin genes were carried on plasmids of the isolates. This study raises awareness on the continuous circulation of pathogenic microbes like <i>S. aureus</i> in retail poultry meat.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/14/2/107food poisoningStaphylococcal Enterotoxin (SE)antibiotic resistancespa typing
spellingShingle Rawah Faraj
Hazem Ramadan
Kingsley E. Bentum
Bilal Alkaraghulli
Yilkal Woube
Zakaria Hassan
Temesgen Samuel
Abiodun Adesiyun
Charlene R. Jackson
Woubit Abebe
Antimicrobial Resistance, Virulence Gene Profiling, and Spa Typing of <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> Isolated from Retail Chicken Meat in Alabama, USA
Pathogens
food poisoning
Staphylococcal Enterotoxin (SE)
antibiotic resistance
spa typing
title Antimicrobial Resistance, Virulence Gene Profiling, and Spa Typing of <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> Isolated from Retail Chicken Meat in Alabama, USA
title_full Antimicrobial Resistance, Virulence Gene Profiling, and Spa Typing of <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> Isolated from Retail Chicken Meat in Alabama, USA
title_fullStr Antimicrobial Resistance, Virulence Gene Profiling, and Spa Typing of <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> Isolated from Retail Chicken Meat in Alabama, USA
title_full_unstemmed Antimicrobial Resistance, Virulence Gene Profiling, and Spa Typing of <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> Isolated from Retail Chicken Meat in Alabama, USA
title_short Antimicrobial Resistance, Virulence Gene Profiling, and Spa Typing of <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> Isolated from Retail Chicken Meat in Alabama, USA
title_sort antimicrobial resistance virulence gene profiling and spa typing of i staphylococcus aureus i isolated from retail chicken meat in alabama usa
topic food poisoning
Staphylococcal Enterotoxin (SE)
antibiotic resistance
spa typing
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/14/2/107
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