title: Antimicrobial drug resistance of Staphylococcus aureus in dairy products.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the prevalence of multidrug resistant Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) in dairy products.
  
  
  METHODS
  Isolation and identification of S. aureus were performed in 3 dairy-based food products. The isolates were tested for their susceptibility to 5 different common antimicrobial drugs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 50 samples examined, 5 (10%) were contaminated with S. aureus. Subsequently, the 5 isolates were subjected to antimicrobial resistance pattern using five antibiotic discs (methicillin, vancomycin, kanamycin, chloramphenicol and tetracycline). Sample 29 showed resistance to methicillin and vancomycin. Sample 18 showed intermediate response to tetracycline. The other samples were susceptible to all the antibiotics tested.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results provide preliminary data on sources of food contamination which may act as vehicles for the transmission of antimicrobial-resistant Staphylococcus. Therefore, it enables us to develop preventive strategies to avoid the emergence of new strains of resistant S. aureus.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine (INFORMM), Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Minden, Penang, Malaysia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sasidharan
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Prema
authors.forename: Latha L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Yoga
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002417:Cattle; D003611:Dairy Products / Q000382:microbiology*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: Antimicrobial drug resistance; Dairy product; Milk; Staphylococcus aureus