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Abstract
Food products of animal origin can serve as a vehicle for Staphylococcus (S.) aureus, a facultative pathogen involved in a variety of diseases. As a result, international trade and illegal transportation of foodstuffs can facilitate the distribution of S. aureus over long distances. In this study, we investigated S. aureus isolates recovered from meat products confiscated from passengers returning from non-EU countries at two German airports and from samples of legally imported meats from non-EU countries. The aim was to characterize isolates in regard to their genetic relatedness as well as their antimicrobial resistance profiles and major virulence factors in order to assess potential risks associated with these products. The isolates were characterized by spa typing, MLST, macrorestriction analysis, microarray analysis and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. MRSA isolates were further characterized by dru typing. The characteristics of the majority of the isolates indicated a human origin, rather than an association with livestock. The results further revealed a considerable heterogeneity among the MRSA isolates, despite their common origin. Overall, a plenitude of major virulence factors and antimicrobial resistances was detected among the isolates, highlighting the potential risks associated with contaminated meat products and the transportation of such products among different countries.
Highlights
Transmission of Staphylococcus (S.) aureus, a pathogen which can cause a wide variety of diseases ranging from mild skin infections to severe conditions such as toxic shock syndrome and necrotizing pneumonia [1], occurs primarily through skin-to-skin contact, but contaminated objects and surfaces can be the source of infections [2]
All methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolates originated from Egypt and were found in illegally introduced poultry meat seized at SXF
In order to reflect the common origin of all detected MRSA isolates, a higher number of methicillin-sensitive isolates (MSSA) isolates from separate poultry samples of Egyptian origin was included in the study
Summary
Transmission of Staphylococcus (S.) aureus, a pathogen which can cause a wide variety of diseases ranging from mild skin infections to severe conditions such as toxic shock syndrome and necrotizing pneumonia [1], occurs primarily through skin-to-skin contact, but contaminated objects and surfaces can be the source of infections [2]. Foodstuffs, products of animal origin, can serve as a vector, usually as a result of (cross-)contamination during. Staphylococcus aureus in Legally and Illegally Introduced Meat Products. Alere Technologies GmbH provided support in the form of salaries for authors (RE SM), but did not have any additional role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The specific roles of these authors are articulated in the ‘author contributions’ section
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