| dc.description.abstract | Staphylococcus aureus is an important pathogen that can cause infections through the
skin and respiratory tract and cause foodborne intoxication through heat-stable enterotoxins in
ready-to-eat foods. In recent years, S. aureus has become a significant public health concern
due to its alarming rise in antibiotic resistance, complicating the treatment of linked infections.
The current research aimed to isolate S. aureus from RTE foods at food stalls in Bogor,
Indonesia, characterize their antimicrobial resistance and enterotoxicity profiles. S. aureus
isolation followed ISO 6888-1:2021, and antimicrobial susceptibility was determined using the
Kirby-Bauer method. The resistance-coding genes and the enterotoxin gene were detected by
polymerase chain reaction. Out of 25 isolates from 25 RTE samples, 12 (48%) were confirmed
as coagulase-positive S. aureus (CPSA). Phenotypic data for antibiotic resistance showed that
75% (9/12) of CPSA isolates were resistant to at least one antibiotic, and 8.3% (1/12) were
resistant to multiple antibiotics. Fifty percent (6/12) of the isolates showed resistance to ßlactam, 25% (3/12) to erythromycin, 16.7% (2/12) to chloramphenicol, 16.7% (2/12) to
cefoxitin, respectively. All isolates (12/12) were susceptible to tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, and
cephalothin. PCR detected three antimicrobial resistance genes: blaZ (91.7%), mecA (16.7%),
and msrA (25%). Notably, discrepancy in genotypic and phenotypic resistance percentages to
ß-lactam antibiotics suggested inducible or suppressed gene expression. Overall, CPSA isolates
carrying the sea gene were detected in 12% (3/25) of presumptive S. aureus isolates from
ready-to-eat foods, highlighting the potential for enterotoxin-mediated food poisoning. The
occurrence of AMR S. aureus in RTE foods may serve as reservoirs or vehicles for the
transmission of antimicrobial-resistant genes in the human gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, this
research emphasizes the need for improved hygiene practices and continuous surveillance to
alleviate the spread of antimicrobial resistance and foodborne illnesses. | |
