Methicillin- and Vancomycin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci Isolated from...

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Food Safety

Background:

• Antibiotic resistance is a growing global health concern, particularly in hospital environments.
• Hospital food can serve as a potential vehicle for the transmission of resistant microorganisms.
• Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Vancomycin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA), and Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus (VRE) are critical pathogens.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of MRSA, VRSA, and VRE in hospital food samples in Mashhad, Iran.
• To identify antibiotic resistance patterns and specific resistance genes in these bacteria.
• To assess the potential role of hospital food in the spread of antibiotic resistance.

Main Methods:

• Collection of 357 hospital food samples from 13 hospitals in Mashhad.
• Identification of Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus spp. using conventional culture and PCR.
• Antibiotic susceptibility testing via disk diffusion and detection of vancomycin resistance genes (vanA, vanB, vanC2) using PCR.

Main Results:

• Prevalence of S. aureus was 24.37%, with MRSA at 22.98% and vanB gene in 1.14% of S. aureus strains.
• Enterococci prevalence was 15.4%, with VRE at 21.81%.
• Meat, chicken barbecues, and salads were highly contaminated. vanA and vanC2 genes were detected. High resistance rates were observed for MRSA, VRSA, and VRE against various antibiotics, indicating multidrug resistance.

Conclusions:

• Hospital foods in Mashhad serve as a reservoir for S. aureus and Enterococci, including antibiotic-resistant strains.
• The presence of MRSA, VRSA, and VRE in food highlights a significant risk for patients, especially the immunocompromised.
• Effective food safety measures and surveillance are crucial to mitigate the spread of antibiotic resistance in hospitals.