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Biosensor for Detection of Antibiotic Resistant Staphylococcus Bacteria
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Biosensor for Detection of Antibiotic Resistant Staphylococcus Bacteria

Published on: May 8, 2013

Emergence and characterization of foodborne methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Korea

Chae Hong Rhee1, Gun-Jo Woo

  • 1Laboratory of Food Safety & Evaluation, Department of Food Bioscience & Technology, Korea University, Anam-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 136-713, Korea.

Journal of Food Protection
|January 12, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Four strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were identified in Korean food samples. These MRSA strains were enterotoxigenic and resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics, highlighting foodborne pathogen risks.

Area of Science:

  • Food Microbiology
  • Antimicrobial Resistance
  • Molecular Epidemiology

Background:

  • Staphylococcus aureus is a common foodborne pathogen.
  • Antimicrobial resistance in S. aureus poses a significant public health concern.
  • Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) is particularly challenging to treat.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the prevalence and characteristics of MRSA in food samples.
  • To determine the antimicrobial susceptibility, virulence factors, and molecular types of isolated MRSA.
  • To assess the potential foodborne transmission routes of MRSA.

Main Methods:

  • Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed on 165 S. aureus isolates.
  • mecA-positive MRSA strains were identified and characterized.
  • Virulence genes were detected using PCR.
  • Molecular typing was conducted using multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE).

Main Results:

  • 150 out of 165 S. aureus strains (90.9%) showed resistance to at least one antibiotic.
  • Four mecA-positive MRSA strains were isolated from raw meat and fish samples.
  • All four MRSA isolates were enterotoxigenic and harbored specific combinations of enterotoxin genes (sea, seg, sei, seh).
  • MRSA isolates belonged to sequence types ST1 and ST72, with ST72 isolates showing highly similar PFGE patterns.

Conclusions:

  • MRSA strains with enterotoxigenic potential are present in the Korean food supply.
  • These MRSA strains are resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics.
  • Molecular typing revealed distinct lineages (ST1, ST72) of MRSA in food, with ST72 showing clonal spread.
  • The findings underscore the importance of monitoring foodborne pathogens for antimicrobial resistance and virulence factors.

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