Abstract

ZOCCHE, Fernando et al. Multiplex PCR for detection of enterotoxigenic staphylococcus aureus isolated from food of animal origin in south of rio grande do sul, Brasil. INCI [online]. 2009, vol.34, n.7, pp.487-491. ISSN 0378-1844.

The object of this work was to develop two multiplex PCR (mPCR) for the detection of genes of staphylococcal enterotoxins (EE) A (sea), B (seb), C (sec) and D (sed) of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from food of animal origin and to relate the presence of the genes with the origin of the microorganism. The two mPCR were standardized using strains of S. aureus whose toxigenic capacity was previously confirmed through indirect ELISA, with the use of reference toxins and serum antitoxins. In six (12%) out of 50 isolates of S. aureus it was possible to detect one or more genes of EE; one isolate harbored sea and seb genes, three isolates harbored seb and two harbored sed. The two sets of mPCR developed are efficient for the detection of the sea, seb, sec and sed, and, considering the existing association of enterotoxigenic S. aureus genes sea and seb with human beings and genes sec and sed with other animals, the most likely origin of the majority of the isolates are the food handlers.

Keywords : Contaminação; Enterotoxigenicidade; Intoxicação Alimentar; Marcadores Genéticos; Staphylococcus aureus.