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Published on: May 23, 2021
Enterotoxigenic potential of coagulase-negative staphylococci
M Podkowik1, J Y Park, K S Seo
1Department of Food Hygiene and Consumer Health Protection, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland.
International Journal of Food Microbiology
|March 19, 2013
Summary
Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) are increasingly recognized as a significant source of staphylococcal enterotoxins, contributing to human and animal infections and food poisoning. Further research into CNS enterotoxin-encoding elements is crucial for understanding their full pathogenic potential.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Food Safety
Background:
- Staphylococci are common causes of human and animal infections, including severe conditions like bacteremia and mastitis.
- Staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) are linked to staphylococcal food poisoning (SFP) and can disrupt immune responses.
- While Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxins are well-studied, the enterotoxigenic potential of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) remains less understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the pathogenic role and enterotoxigenicity of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS).
- To explore the genetic elements encoding enterotoxins in CNS strains.
- To highlight the importance of CNS as a source of staphylococcal enterotoxins in various infections and foodborne illnesses.
Main Methods:
- Genomic analysis to identify enterotoxin-coding elements in CNS.
- Molecular characterization of CNS enterotoxin genes and their localization.
- Review of existing literature on CNS-associated infections and food poisoning.
Main Results:
- Evidence confirms the presence and localization of enterotoxin-coding elements within CNS genomes.
- Production of enterotoxins by various CNS strains has been demonstrated.
- CNS strains are increasingly implicated in human and animal infections and food poisoning incidents.
Conclusions:
- Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) represent a significant, yet underappreciated, source of staphylococcal enterotoxins.
- Understanding the genetic basis of CNS enterotoxin production is vital for assessing their public health impact.
- CNS should be considered a key pathogen in staphylococcal food poisoning and various infectious disease contexts.
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