Fermentation and Biotechnology Division, Indian Council of Agricultural Research- Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, Microbiology, Matsyapuri Post, Willingdon Island, Cochin, 682 029, Kerala, India.
Department of Biochemical Engineering & Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, 110 016, India.
BMC Microbiol. 2022 Oct 1;22(1):233. doi: 10.1186/s12866-022-02640-9.
Compared to the clinical sector, the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in the food sector is relatively low. However, their presence in seafood is a significant public health concern. In India, fish and fishery products are maximally manually handled compared to other food products. In this study, 498 fish samples were collected under various conditions (fresh, chilled or dressed) and representatives from their surroundings. These samples were screened for the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus, determining its antimicrobial resistance, MRSA and genetic profile. It is observed that 15.0% and 3.0% of the total samples were screened positive for S. aureus and MRSA, respectively. The S. aureus strain MRSARF-10 showed higher resistance to linezolid, co-trimoxazole, cefoxitin, ofloxacin, gentamicin, rifampicin, ampicillin/sulbactam and Piperacillin-tazobactam. This MRSA, spa type t021 and SCCmec type V strain isolated from dried ribbon fish (Family Trachipteridae) carried virulence factors for exoenzymes such as aureolysin, serine, toxin genes and a novel MLST ST 243, as revealed from its draft-genome sequence. This highly pathogenic, multidrug-resistant and virulent S. aureus novel strain is circulating in the environment with chances of spreading among the seafood workers and the environment. It is further suggested that Good Hygienic Practices recommended by World Health Organization need to be followed during the different stages of seafood processing to provide pathogen-free fish and fishery products to the consumers.
与临床领域相比，食品领域耐甲氧西林金黄色葡萄球菌（MRSA）的流行率相对较低。然而，其在海鲜中的存在是一个重大的公共卫生关注点。在印度，与其他食品相比，鱼类和渔业产品最大程度地采用人工处理。在这项研究中，根据不同条件（新鲜、冷藏或加工）收集了 498 个鱼类样本及其周围环境的样本。这些样本被筛选出金黄色葡萄球菌的存在情况，确定其对抗菌药物的耐药性、MRSA 和遗传特征。结果发现，总样本中有 15.0%和 3.0%分别对金黄色葡萄球菌和 MRSA 呈阳性。金黄色葡萄球菌菌株 MRSARF-10 对利奈唑胺、复方新诺明、头孢西丁、氧氟沙星、庆大霉素、利福平、氨苄西林/舒巴坦和哌拉西林/他唑巴坦表现出更高的耐药性。从干带鱼（Trachipteridae 科）中分离出的这种 MRSA、spa 型 t021 和 SCCmec 型 V 菌株携带了胞外酶的毒力因子，如金葡菌溶素、丝氨酸毒素基因和一种新的 MLST ST 243，这是从其草图基因组序列中揭示的。这种高致病性、多药耐药和毒力强的金黄色葡萄球菌新型菌株在环境中传播，有在海鲜工人和环境中传播的机会。因此建议在海鲜加工的不同阶段遵循世界卫生组织推荐的良好卫生规范，为消费者提供无病原体的鱼类和渔业产品。
