Detection of Meca gene in methicillin-resistance Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)‎ strains isolated from beef meat using polymerase chain reaction

Abstract EN

A total of 60 random samples of meat were collected from different butchers shops at Port- Said city and subjected to bacteriological examination.

The prevalence of Staph.

aureus coagulase positive was 10 (16.

6%).

The coagulase positive Staph.

aureus isolates were tested for their susceptibility to methicillin/ Oxaciillin.

6(60%) of the isolates were resistant to methicillin/ Oxaciillin.

Multidrug resistance of MRSA strains was observed.

The maximum resistance was observed against Ampicillin and Chloramphenicol (100%) while the least resistance was observed against Streptomycin (66.6%) followed by Gentamicin and Trimethoprim + Sulphamethoxazole (33.3%) and Erythromycin (16.6%).

The isolates were analyzed for the presence of the genes encoding resistance to methicillin (mecA) by using Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) which is a powerful and a rapid procedure for the detection of mecA gene in methicllin-resistance (MRSA) strains.

Only 3 out of 6 isolates were found to carry the mecA gene amplified at 310 bp.

The Staph.

aureus found in meat directly affect the human health and can cause a public illness if the meat is used in the food industry.

Examination of meat using convetional PCR is a useful technique for detection of mecA gene in Methicillin-resistance Staph.

aureus (MRSA).