ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF Staphylococcus ENTEROTOXIGENIC STRAINS FROM CHEESE IN BOGOTA

Objective. Staphylococcus is one of the principal food-borne pathogens in Colombia. The aim of this study was to identify and characterize enterotoxigenic Staphylococcus aureus strains from cheese obtained from retail butchers, supermarket stores and street food vendors in Bogota, Colombia. Material and methods. Isolates of Staphylococcus species were obtained from cheeses from retail butchers, supermarket stores and street food vendors. PCR was used to identify the SEA gene. A total of 50 commercially available cheeses were analyzed from 13 street food vendors and retail butchers and from 37 supermarkets. Results. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from the whole cheese samples from retail butchers and street food vendors. There were no Staphylococcus spp from supermarket samples (n=37). All of the isolates were PCR positive for the enterotoxigenic Staphylococcus aureus gene. Conclusions. Differences in the occurrence of enterotoxigenic Staphylococcus aureus from cheese depended on the vendor type. This study revealed a very high frequency of Staphylococcus aureus coagulase-positive and enterotoxin A gene strains from cheeses commercially available from retail butchers and street food vendors.