title: Methicillin-resistant food-related Staphylococcus aureus: a review of current knowledge and biofilm formation for future studies and applications.
abstract: There is increasing concern about the public health impact of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Food and animal are vectors of transmission, but the contribution of a contaminated environment is not well characterized. With regard to this, staphylococcal biofilms serve as a virulence factor, allowing MRSA strains to adhere to surfaces and other materials used in the food industry. Methicillin resistance and biofilm-forming capacity may contribute to the success of S. aureus as a human pathogen in both health care and community settings and the food production chain. This review summarizes current knowledge about the significance of food- and animal-derived MRSA strains and provides data on attachment and biofilm formation of MRSA. In addition, the impact of quorum sensing on MRSA gene expression and biofilm formation is examined.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbiology and Biotechnology of Foods, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Faculty of Foods, Biotechnology and Development, Agricultural University of Athens (AUA), Iera Odos 75, Athens, 11855, Greece. Electronic address: adoulgeraki@aua.gr.
authors.forename: Agapi I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Doulgeraki
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, University of Parma, Via del Taglio 10, 43126, Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: Pierluigi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Di Ciccio
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, University of Parma, Via del Taglio 10, 43126, Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ianieri
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbiology and Biotechnology of Foods, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Faculty of Foods, Biotechnology and Development, Agricultural University of Athens (AUA), Iera Odos 75, Athens, 11855, Greece.
authors.forename: George-John E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Nychas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology*; D053038:Quorum Sensing; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*
keywords: Biofilm; MRSA; Quorum sensing; Staphylococcus aureus; Virulence