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Updated: Jun 23, 2026
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A Fluorescence-based Method to Study Bacterial Gene Regulation in Infected Tissues
Published on: February 19, 2019
Enterotoxin gene content in Staphylococcus aureus from the human intestinal tract
Elzbieta Lis1, Kamila Korzekwa, Jarosław Bystroń
1Department of Food Hygiene and Consumer Health Protection, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland.
FEMS Microbiology Letters
|May 23, 2009
Summary
Enterotoxigenic Staphylococcus aureus is common in children
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Enterotoxigenic Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) causes staphylococcal food poisoning and gastroenteritis.
- S. aureus asymptomatically colonizes the human intestinal tract, serving as a transmission source for food.
- Limited data exists on the prevalence and enterotoxigenicity of intestinal S. aureus unrelated to enteritis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the incidence and enterotoxin gene profiles of intestinal S. aureus in children.
- To determine the frequency of specific enterotoxin genes in S. aureus isolates from children with and without enteritis.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 6,621 fecal swabs from children aged 6 months to 8 years for S. aureus.
- Identification and characterization of S. aureus isolates, including the detection of enterotoxin genes (sea-see, seg-selp, selu, tst).
Main Results:
- S. aureus was detected in 347 samples (5.2%).
- Isolates were recovered from 4.2% of children with enteritis and 8% of children without diarrhea.
- Enterotoxin genes were prevalent in both groups (83% with enteritis, 72% without).
- Classical enterotoxin and tst genes were found in 56% and 59% of isolates, respectively.
Conclusions:
- Intestinal S. aureus colonization is frequent in children, irrespective of enteritis symptoms.
- A significant proportion of intestinal S. aureus isolates carry enterotoxin genes, suggesting potential pathogenicity.
- Further research is needed to understand the role of asymptomatic intestinal S. aureus in public health.
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