| dc.description.abstract | Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) which is a crucial pathogen both for human and animals, one of the causative agent of food poisonings. In this study, significant virulence genes (coagulase (coa), clumping factor (clfA), and protein A (spa-IgG:spa-x)) in S. aureus strains isolated from meats of various animal species (beef, sheep, goat, and chicken) and food contact surfaces were characterized via molecular methods. With this aim, meat (n=400) and surface swap (50) samples from various premises were collected in Sivas province. Using phenotypic methods, samples were found to be coagulase positive S. aureus isolates. Coagulase-positive isolates were tested for virulence genes using a single or multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). In total, S. aureus was found in 110 (24.4%) of the 450 samples examined. S. aureus was detected 29%, 24%, 14%, 32% and 22% in cattle, sheep, goat and chicken meat samples as well as swab samples, respectively. coa, clfA, IgG binding region of spa, and X region coding genes were detected in all samples. Polymorphisms were observed in two of these four gen regions. In coa-PCR, all isolates had a single band formation with five distinct molecular lengths ranging from 500 to 1400 bp. In spa-X-PCR, all isolates had a single band formation with seven distinct molecular lengths ranging from 190 to 350 bp. As consequently, it is thought that detecting spa gene polymorphisms by coa-PCR in S. aureus isolates from meat and surfaces can be regarded as a good alternative to traditional methods, contributing to the development of effective staphylococcal infection control strategies and public health protection. | tr |
