Staphylococcal contamination of cattle carcasses with particular reference to Staph. aureus enterotoxins.

Saad, M. S., Hassan, M. A., Abou El-Roos-Nahla, A. and Gaafar, M. H.

Abstract

A total of one hundred random swab samples were collected from the cattle carcasses slaughtered at four different abattoirs located in Menufia governorate namely A, B, C and D (25 of each). The sampling site was randomly taken from each carcass inside the abattoir. Mean values of total Staphylococci count (cfu/cm2) of the tested cattle carcass swab samples obtained from abattoir A, B, C and D were 5.79×102 ± 1.14×102, 1.01×103 ± 0.37×103, 4.58×103 ± 0.92×103 and 6.94×103 ± 1.21×103, respectively. Isolates serotypes were Staph. Aureus (12%), Staph. Epidermidis (4%), Staph. Intermedius (0%), Staph. Saprophyticus (0%), Staph. Capitis (0%) and Micrococcus spps (4%) in abattoir A. While the fore mentioned serotypes were recorded in abattoir B in percentage of (20%), (8%), (0%), (4%), (0%), (0%), respectively. On the other hand, the mentioned serotypes were recorded in abattoir C in percentage of (24%), (0%), (0%), (4%), (0%), (8%). Finally, in case of abattoir D the serotypes mentioned above found in percentage of (40%), (8%), (4%), (0%), (4%), (0%), respectively. Enterotoxin type A was produced by 2 strains of Staph. aureus at age of 13.33%. While enterotoxin type B, D, A+C and A+D were produced by single strain of Staph. aureus for each at age of 6.67%. On the other hand, enterotoxin type C is produced by 3 strains of Staph. aureus at age of 20%. Finally, there were 8 strains of Staph. aureus was not capable of producing enterotoxin at age of 53.33%.

Key words

cattle carcasses, abattoirs, Staphylococci count, Staph. aureus virulence genes, Enterotoxin.