Prevalence and characterization of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus argenteus in chicken from retail markets in China. (February 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Qiuchun; Li, Yang; Tang, Yuanyue; Meng, Chuang; Ingmer, Hanne; Jiao, Xinan
• Is Part Of: Food control. Volume 96(2019)
• Page Start: 158
• Page End: 164
• Publication Date: 2019-02
• Subjects: Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) -- Antibiotic resistance -- MRSA -- CRISPR-Cas system -- Staphylococcus argenteus (S. argenteus); Food -- Quality -- Periodicals; Food -- Analysis -- Periodicals; Food handling -- Periodicals; Food industry and trade -- Quality control -- Periodicals; Aliments -- Industrie et commerce -- Qualité -- Contrôle -- Périodiques; Aliments -- Qualité -- Périodiques; Aliments -- Analyse -- Périodiques; Hygiène alimentaire -- Périodiques; Food -- Analysis; Food handling; Food -- Quality; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 664.07
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2018.08.030
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0956-7135

Abstract

Abstract: Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus ) is one of the most common pathogens causing both human and animal infections. Transmission of S. aureus to humans via contaminated food continues to be a health public concern. In the present study, 104 strains including eight MRSA strains were identified from 507 chicken samples (20.5%) in three cities of China. These strains harbored the highest resistance against penicillin (91.4%), followed by tetracycline (64.4%), erythromycin (53.5%), and kanamycin (32.7%). We used spa typing to classify these isolates into 28 types belonging to two lineages including the predominant type t112 (n = 26) and four newly identified spa types. Among the 104 strains, six carried the CRISPR-Cas system, a prokaryotic immune system which protects against foreign genetic elements. Interestingly, rpoB gene sequencing demonstrated that these six initially designated ST2250 strains were in fact S. argenteus, a novel Staphylococcus species genetically closely related to S. aureus . Three Staphylococcus CRIPSR types containing ten spacers identified in these strains have been reported in CRISPR-positive S. aureus . Additionally, 80% of the spacers showed homology to S. aureus phages demonstrating that these conserved spacers were closely related to the phages in the environment of S. argenteus . We speculated that the identical CRISPR types and spacers in both S. argenteus and S. aureus have resulted via exchange of mobile elements between these two species. Emergence of food-borne ST2250 S. argenteus is a potential threat to human public health. Highlights: Chickens at Chinese retail markets were screened for S. aureus including MRSA. S. aureus (20.51%) and MRSA (1.58%) were detected in the investigated markets. Antibiotic resistance remains a significant problem in poultry industry. Emergence of foodborne ST2250 S. argenteus is a potential threat to public health. Identical CRISPR types and spacers were detected in both S. argenteus and S. aureus.