Chicken giblets and wastewater samples as possible sources of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: Prevalence, enterotoxin production, and antibiotic susceptibility

Staphylococcus aureus is an important foodborne pathogen that constitutes a major health hazard. This study was undertaken to investigate the potential health hazard of chicken products including giblets as a source of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). The prevalence of coagulase-positive multidrug-resistant S. aureus in chicken breast meat, wings, giblets (livers and gizzards), and wastewater samples was investigated. Furthermore, expression of mecA in the identified isolates was screened using PCR. In addition, the expression of staphylococcal enterotoxin (SE) coding genes (A, B, C, and D) was investigated. The antibiogram of isolated S. aureus was further tested using the disk diffusion method. Results obtained showed that a 14% prevalence of S. aureus among the examined samples. Interestingly, all isolates were confirmed to be MRSA. SEA had the highest frequency among SEs in MRSA isolates. 78.57% of MRSA isolates showed multidrug resistance profiles. Practical applications: This study demonstrated that chicken giblets and wastewater samples are potential sources for transmission of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and the heat-resistant staphylococcal enterotoxins to people. Additionally, the isolated MRSA showed variable degrees of antibiotic resistance. Accordingly, strict hygiene protocols should be followed during preparation of chicken products including giblets for human consumption. Furthermore, thorough cooking of chicken meat and giblets must be considered before serving to people.