title: East and West African milk products are reservoirs for human and livestock-associated Staphylococcus aureus.
abstract: Staphylococcus aureus frequently isolated from milk products in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is a major pathogen responsible for food intoxication, human and animal diseases. SSA hospital-derived strains are well studied but data on the population structure of foodborne S. aureus required to identify possible staphylococcal food poisoning sources is lacking. Therefore, the aim was to assess the population genetic structure, virulence and antibiotic resistance genes associated with milk-derived S. aureus isolates from Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya and Somalia through spa-typing, MLST, and DNA microarray analysis. Seventy milk S. aureus isolates from the three countries were assigned to 27 spa (7 new) and 23 (12 new) MLST sequence types. Milk-associated S. aureus of the three countries is genetically diverse comprising human and livestock-associated clonal complexes (CCs) predominated by the CC5 (n = 10) and CC30 (n = 9) isolates. Panton-Valentine leukocidin, toxic shock syndrome toxin and enterotoxin encoding genes were predominantly observed among human-associated CCs. Penicillin, fosfomycin and tetracycline, but not methicillin resistance genes were frequently detected. Our findings indicate that milk-associated S. aureus in SSA originates from human and animal sources alike highlighting the need for an overarching One Health approach to reduce S. aureus disease burdens through improving production processes, animal care and hygienic measures.
authors.affiliation: ETH Zurich, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, Laboratory of Food Biotechnology, LFV C22, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jans
authors.affiliation: University of Zurich, Institute of Food Safety and Hygiene, Winterthurerstrasse 272, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Merz
authors.affiliation: University of Zurich, Institute of Food Safety and Hygiene, Winterthurerstrasse 272, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Sophia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Johler
authors.affiliation: Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Germany, P.O. Box 25653, 00603 Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Younan
authors.affiliation: ETH Zurich, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, Laboratory of Food Biotechnology, LFV C22, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Sabine A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Tanner
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Technology, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, University of Nairobi, PO Box 29053, Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: Dasel Wambua Mulwa
authors.initials: DWM
authors.lastname: Kaindi
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Technology, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, University of Nairobi, PO Box 29053, Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wangoh
authors.affiliation: Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d'Ivoire (CSRS), KM 17 route de Dabou, Adiopodoumé Yopougon, Abidjan - 01, B.P. 1303 Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire.
authors.forename: Bassirou
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bonfoh
authors.affiliation: ETH Zurich, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, Laboratory of Food Biotechnology, LFV C22, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Leo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Meile
authors.affiliation: University of Zurich, Institute of Food Safety and Hygiene, Winterthurerstrasse 272, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland. Electronic address: tasarat@fsafety.uzh.ch.
authors.forename: Taurai
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tasara
mesh_terms: D000351:Africa, Eastern / Q000453:epidemiology; D000354:Africa, Western / Q000453:epidemiology; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000235:genetics; D002162:Camelus / Q000382:microbiology*; D043302:Cultured Milk Products / Q000382:microbiology*; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000382:microbiology*; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000235:genetics; D005098:Exotoxins / Q000235:genetics; D059022:Food Safety; D006801:Humans; D007956:Leukocidins / Q000235:genetics; D058751:Livestock / Q000382:microbiology; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008892:Milk / Q000382:microbiology*; D058885:Multilocus Sequence Typing; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D018089:Superantigens / Q000235:genetics; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004768:Enterotoxins; D005098:Exotoxins; D007956:Leukocidins; C078284:Panton-Valentine leukocidin; D018089:Superantigens; D037521:Virulence Factors; C030107:enterotoxin F, Staphylococcal
keywords: Dairy; Food safety; Milk products; One health; Staphylococcus aureus; Sub-Saharan Africa