title: [Carriage and characterization of Staphylococcus aureus in food handlers].
abstract: Staphylococcus aureus causes food poisoning due to its ability to produce enterotoxins. Food handlers carrying enterotoxin-producing S. aureus can contaminate food, thus leading to food poisoning. Samples were obtained from 88 food handlers in the Province of Misiones, Argentina. S. aureus was isolated from nasal swaps and PCR amplification was performed for genes encoding staphylococcal enterotoxins. A total of 37.5 % food handlers were positive for S. aureus. Expression of enterotoxin genes was found in 13 of the 33 (39.4 %) S. aureus isolates studied, accounting for 14.7 % of food handlers. Gene sea was detected in 10 isolates followed by gene sec in 3 isolates. All isolates were susceptible to teicoplanin, gentamicin and rifampicin. Four isolates were resistant to methicillin whereas 2 isolates were resistant to clindamycin and erythromycin. These results constitute a critical alert and indicate the need for developing rational measures to reduce the potential risk of food poisoning.
authors.affiliation: Cátedra de Microbiología General, Carrera de Bioquímica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Químicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Misiones, Mariano Moreno 1375 (3300) Posadas, Misiones, Argentina. gracielajorda@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Graciela B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Jordá
authors.forename: Raúl S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Marucci
authors.forename: Adriana M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Guida
authors.forename: Patricia S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Pires
authors.forename: Eduardo A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Manfredi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D002353:Carrier State / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005511:Food Handling; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008875:Middle Aged; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000382:microbiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013202:Staphylococcal Food Poisoning / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004768:Enterotoxins