CASE STUDY OF STAPHYLOCOCCAL ENTEROTOXIN POISONING AFTER CONSUMPTION OF READY-TO-EAT ROASTED CHICKEN PRODUCTS

Prof. Hristo Daskalov, T.N.Ivanova, E.M.Gyurova

Abstract: Staphylococcus aureus is a food-borne pathogen, capable to produce several enterotoxins (SEs) that cause intoxication with varying intensity in humans after ingestion of contaminated food. The present paper reports the results of an outbreak, provoked by Coagulase Positive Staphylococci (CPS) and enterotoxins in ready-to-eat chicken products, occurred in city of Yambol (Bulgaria) in January 2015. An old woman and a child were hospitalized after consumption of ready-to-eat roasted chicken legs. A total of 5 samples were examined and one of them was found to contain high level of CPS. The level of Staphylococcus aureus contamination in the positive sample was 6.92 log CFU/g, which was a significant reason to suspect the production of toxin. The sample with high level of contamination was analyzed according to the European Screening Method v5 using mini VIDAS SET2. The results showed presence of staphylococcal enterotoxin (TV 1.16), which was the cause for the ensuing food intoxication. EURL for coagulase positive staphylococci confirmed presence of SEA at a level of 0.033 ng/g applying quantitative indirect sandwich-type ELISA. Two CPS isolates were confirmed as S. aureus by a species-specific 23S rRNA targeted PCR test. Both isolates carried the sea gene only.

Keywords: RTE poultry products; Staphylococcal enterotoxin; staphylococcal poisoning; Staphylococcus aureus

Date published: 2017-02-24