Abstract
Simple SummaryStaphylococcus aureus, apathogen that causes bovine mastitis, produces various virulence factors, and human consumption of milk contaminated with the S. aureus enterotoxin may pose a public health risk. This study analyzed the genetic characteristics of bovine-mastitis-related virulence factors to evaluate the potential pathogenesis of S. aureus isolated from bulk tank milk. The results show that S. aureus isolated from bulk tank milk, not from mastitis, had a high prevalence of virulence factors and that the high presence of enterotoxins may be due to poor hygiene. Therefore, developing a strong monitoring and sanitation program for dairy factories is important to ensure hygienic milk production.Staphylococcus aureus, a persistent mastitis-causing pathogen, produces various virulence factors, including enterotoxins. This study analyzed the genetic characteristics of bovine-mastitis-related virulence factors to evaluate the potential pathogenesis of S. aureus isolated from bulk tank milk. Among 93 S. aureus isolates from 396 dairy farms operated by 3 dairy companies in Korea, 40 (43.0%) isolates carried one or more enterotoxin genes. Moreover, S. aureus carrying enterotoxin genes showed a higher prevalence in all virulence genes tested in this study except for pvl and lukM, which were not detected in any isolate, than in the isolates without enterotoxin genes. In particular, the prevalence of six genes (hla, hlb, lukED, fnbA, clfA, and clfB) was significantly higher in S. aureus carrying the enterotoxin genes than in the isolates without the enterotoxin genes (p < 0.05). The most common multilocus sequence type of enterotoxin-producing isolates was ST188, and all isolates of ST188 harbored the see gene. S. aureus isolated from bulk tank milk, not from mastitis, had a high prevalence of virulence factors, posing a public health threat. Moreover, a high presence of enterotoxins in bulk tank milk is probably because of poor hygiene; therefore, it is important to develop strong monitoring and sanitation programs for dairy factories.
Highlights
Introduction published maps and institutional affilStaphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is one of the most common pathogens causing contagious mastitis in the dairy industry [1]
The prevalence of enterotoxin genes was significantly high in S. aureus from factory A1 (89.5%), followed by factory C1 (66.7%), B1 (60.0%), and
The prevalence of enterotoxin genes was significantly high in S. au4 of 10 reus from factory A1 (89.5%), followed by factory C1 (66.7%), B1 (60.0%), and B2 (46.2%)
Summary
Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is one of the most common pathogens causing contagious mastitis in the dairy industry [1]. S. aureus is persistent and causes chronic mastitis, and consumption of these dairy products transmits virulence factors from the contaminated milk to humans and may pose a public health risk [2,3]. The staphylococcal enterotoxin, belonging to the superantigen family, is the most potent because it can induce polyclonal activation of T cells at picomolar concentrations [4]. This activity is suspected to enhance virulence by inhibiting the host response to staphylococcal antigens produced during infection or present during toxinoses. More than 20 types of enterotoxins have been identified, of which classical enterotoxin types (sea-see) pose serious public health concerns because they iations
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