Staphylococcus aureus and Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) from swine slaughtered in Southern Italy: Preliminary results

Staphylococcus aureus and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), are traditionally human pathogens capable of causing foodborne intoxications and several type of infections. s. aureus could enter the pork production chain during the slaughter process. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence and the enterotoxigenic characteristics of S. aureus and MRSA isolated from pigs at slaughterhouses. Overall, 60 (63.8%) of the 94 superficial swabs analyzed, resulted positive. From these 13 strains of S. aureus were isolated, of which 7 (53.8) resulted enterotoxigenic, and 47 strains of MRSA. The authors emphasize the need to raise the standards of the hygiene process in order to reduce the foodborne risk linked to the consumption of pork contaminated with the investigated microorganisms