Antimicrobial resistance of Staphylococcus species isolated from Lebanese dairy-based products

Abstract

The study evaluated the antimicrobial resistance of molecularly characterized strains of Staphylococcus oureus and S. saprophyticus isolated from 3 Lebanese dairy-based food products that are sometimes consumed raw: kishk, shanklish and baladi cheese. Suspected Staphylococcus isolates were identified initially using standard biochemical tests, then strains that were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction [‎29 S, aureus and 17 S. saprophyticus]‎ were evaluated for their susceptibility to different antimicrobials. The highest levels of contamination with staphylococci were in baladi cheese. Resistance rates ranged from 67% to gentamicin to 94% to oxacillin and clindamycin. The results suggest that these locally made dairy-based foods may act as vehicles for the transmission of antimicrobial-resistant Staphylococcus spp