AUTHOR=Lv Guoping , Jiang Ruiping , Zhang Han , Wang Lei , Li Lijie , Gao Weili , Zhang Hong , Pei Yantao , Wei Xiuping , Dong Hongyan , Qin Liyun 

TITLE=Molecular Characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus From Food Samples and Food Poisoning Outbreaks in Shijiazhuang, China

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2021.652276

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2021.652276

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p>As an opportunistic pathogen worldwide, <italic>Staphylococcus aureus</italic> can cause food poisoning and human infections. This study investigated the sequence typing, the penicillin (blaZ) and methicillin (mec) resistance profiles of <italic>S. aureus</italic> from food samples and food poisoning outbreaks in Shijiazhuang City, and the staphylococcal enterotoxin (SE) types of the <italic>S. aureus</italic> isolates from food poisoning. A total of 138 foodborne <italic>S. aureus</italic> isolates were distributed into 8 clonal complexes (CCs) and 12 singletons. CC1, CC5, CC8, CC15, CC97, CC59, CC398, CC88, and CC7 were the predominant CCs of foodborne <italic>S. aureus</italic> isolates. Moreover, CC59, CC15, and CC5 were the most prevalent CCs in food poisoning outbreaks. SEE was the most commonly detected SE in food poisoning isolates. One hundred thirty-three <italic>S. aureus</italic> isolates harbored the penicillin-resistant gene <italic>blaZ</italic>, and nine isolates carried the <italic>mec</italic> gene. The present study further explained the relationship between <italic>S. aureus</italic> and foods and food poisoning and indicated the potential risk of <italic>S. aureus</italic> infection.</p>