Original Research

Prevalence and risk factors contributing to antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates from poultry meat products in South Africa, 2015–2016

Vashnee Govender, Evelyn Madoroba, Kudakwashe Magwedere, Geoffrey Fosgate, Lazarus Kuonza
Journal of the South African Veterinary Association | Vol 90 | a1738 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/jsava.v90i0.1738 | © 2019 Vashnee Govender, Evelyn Madoroba, Kudakwashe Magwedere, Geoffrey Fosgate, Lazarus Kuonza | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 19 September 2018 | Published: 29 August 2019

About the author(s)

Vashnee Govender, School of Health Systems and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; and, South African Field Epidemiology Training Programme, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Sandringham Johannesburg, South Africa; and, Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Directorate of Veterinary Public Health, Pretoria, South Africa
Evelyn Madoroba, Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, Feed and Food Analysis Laboratory, Agricultural Research Council, Onderstepoort, Pretoria, South Africa
Kudakwashe Magwedere, Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Directorate of Veterinary Public Health, Pretoria, South Africa
Geoffrey Fosgate, Department of Production Animal Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, Pretoria, South Africa
Lazarus Kuonza, South African Field Epidemiology Training Programme, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Sandringham Johannesburg, South Africa

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus, including methicillin-resistant strains, has been detected in food products of animal origin globally. Limited data have been reported on the factors contributing to antibiotic resistance of food-borne pathogens in South Africa. The primary aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of S. aureus, including antibiotic-resistant strains, in poultry meat products as well as the evaluation of potential risk factors for contamination of poultry meat products with antibiotic-resistant S. aureus isolates. A cross-sectional investigation was conducted in municipalities located across the nine provinces of South Africa, which included abattoirs, meat processing facilities, retail outlets and cold stores at the major ports of entry into South Africa. Staphylococcus aureus isolates obtained from various poultry meat products were tested for susceptibility to 14 antibiotic compounds representing 10 antibiotic classes using the Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion method. Potential risk factors were evaluated using a logistic regression model. Of the 311 samples tested, 34.1% (n = 106) were positive for S. aureus (95% confidence interval [CI], 28.9% – 39.7%). Seventy-two of the 106 isolates were randomly selected for antibiotic sensitivity testing. Twenty-one per cent (n = 15) of the isolates selected for sensitivity testing were methicillin-resistant strains (95% CI, 12.2% – 32.0%). Multi-drug resistance was detected in 22.2% (n = 16) of these isolates tested (95% CI, 13.3% – 33.6%). Origin of the product (p = 0.160), type of meat product (p = 0.962), type of facility (p = 0.115) and facility hygiene practices (p = 0.484) were not significantly associated with contamination of poultry meat products with methicillin-resistant strains. The study provides baseline data for further studies on antibiotic resistance risk assessments for food-borne pathogens, including S. aureus, which should guide the implementation plans of the South African National Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy Framework, 2017–2024.

Keywords

Staphylococcus aureus; antimicrobial resistance; poultry; meat safety; MRSA; methicillin-resistant S. aureus

Metrics

Total abstract views: 4306
Total article views: 4193

 

Crossref Citations

1. Prevalence of Antimicrobial-resistant Bacteria in HACCP Facilities
Ramesh Subramaniam, Nuzul Noorahya Jambari, Kuan Chee Hao, Ungku Fatimah Ungku Zainal Abidin, Nor Khaizura Mahmud, Ab Rashid
Food Safety  vol: 11  issue: 3  first page: 54  year: 2023  
doi: 10.14252/foodsafetyfscj.D-23-00004

2. Prevalence and Characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus Associated with Meat and Meat Products in African Countries: A Review
Thembeka Thwala, Evelyn Madoroba, Albert Basson, Patrick Butaye
Antibiotics  vol: 10  issue: 9  first page: 1108  year: 2021  
doi: 10.3390/antibiotics10091108

3. Impacts of on-farm water sanitation practices on microbial hygiene in poultry waterlines and efficacy of sodium hypochlorite-based product on foodborne pathogens
Rabin Raut, Agnes Kilonzo-Nthenge, Tobenna Aniume, Ashesh Basnet, Susan Watkins, Pramir Maharjan
Journal of Applied Poultry Research  vol: 33  issue: 3  first page: 100425  year: 2024  
doi: 10.1016/j.japr.2024.100425

4. Emergence and genomic epidemiology of tigecycline resistant bacteria of fly origin across urban and rural China
Zelin Yan, Panpan Wang, Hanyu Wang, Jing Zhang, Yanyan Zhang, Yuchen Wu, Hongwei Zhou, Yan Li, Zhangqi Shen, Gongxiang Chen, Ruichao Li, Rong Zhang
Environment International  vol: 193  first page: 109099  year: 2024  
doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.109099

5. The challenges of implementing antibiotic stewardship in diverse poultry value chains in Kenya
Alex Hughes, Emma Roe, Elvis Wambiya, James A Brown, Alister Munthali, Abdhalah Ziraba
Agriculture and Human Values  vol: 41  issue: 2  first page: 749  year: 2024  
doi: 10.1007/s10460-023-10518-3

6. Enterotoxin- and Antibiotic-Resistance-Encoding Genes Are Present in Both Coagulase-Positive and Coagulase-Negative Foodborne Staphylococcus Strains
Acácio Salamandane, Jessica Oliveira, Miguel Coelho, Beatriz Ramos, Mónica V. Cunha, Manuel Malfeito-Ferreira, Luisa Brito
Applied Microbiology  vol: 2  issue: 2  first page: 367  year: 2022  
doi: 10.3390/applmicrobiol2020028

7. A South African Perspective on the Microbiological and Chemical Quality of Meat: Plausible Public Health Implications
Christy E. Manyi-Loh, Ryk Lues
Microorganisms  vol: 11  issue: 10  first page: 2484  year: 2023  
doi: 10.3390/microorganisms11102484

8. Sink survey to investigate multidrug resistance pattern of common foodborne bacteria from wholesale chicken markets in Dhaka city of Bangladesh
Mst. Sonia Parvin, Md. Yamin Ali, Amit Kumar Mandal, Sudipta Talukder, Md. Taohidul Islam
Scientific Reports  vol: 12  issue: 1  year: 2022  
doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-14883-7

9. Marine Streptomyces reveals anti-Staphylococcus activity through interfering with respiratory chain dehydrogenase activity and membrane integrity
Solomuzi Khumalo, Tukayi Kudanga, Gibson Nyanhongo, Siyanda Ngema, Tsolanku Maliehe, Evelyn Madoroba
Discover Applied Sciences  vol: 7  issue: 3  year: 2025  
doi: 10.1007/s42452-025-06607-z

10. Antimicrobial Resistance, Enterotoxin and mec Gene Profiles of Staphylococcus aureus Associated with Beef-Based Protein Sources from KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa
Thembeka Thwala, Evelyn Madoroba, Tsolanku S. Maliehe, Kudakwashe Magwedere, Albert K. Basson, Patrick Butaye
Microorganisms  vol: 10  issue: 6  first page: 1211  year: 2022  
doi: 10.3390/microorganisms10061211

11. Prevalence, Enterotoxigenic Potential and Antimicrobial Resistance of Staphylococcus aureus and Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Isolated from Algerian Ready to Eat Foods
Omar Amine Mekhloufi, Daniele Chieffi, Abdelhamid Hammoudi, Sid Ahmed Bensefia, Francesca Fanelli, Vincenzina Fusco
Toxins  vol: 13  issue: 12  first page: 835  year: 2021  
doi: 10.3390/toxins13120835

12. Molecular Typing, Phenotypic and Genotypic Assessment of Antibiotic Resistance and Virulence Factors amongst the Staphylococcus aureus Bacteria Isolated from Raw Chicken Meat
Sepideh Karimi, Hassan Momtaz
Molecular Genetics, Microbiology and Virology  vol: 37  issue: 4  first page: 226  year: 2022  
doi: 10.3103/S0891416822040073

13. Emergence of Multidrug-Resistant and Biofilm-Producing Staphylococcus aureus from Raw Poultry in Algeria: Implications for Public Health
Feryal Belfihadj, Meriem Elkolli, Naouel Boussoualim, Amira Bourouba, Charefeddine Mouffok, Maryem Kraouia, Vesna Milanovic, Andrea Osimani, Lucia Aquilanti, Mohammad Raish, Byong-Hun Jeon, Hyun-Jo Ahn, Yacine Benguerba
Microorganisms  vol: 13  issue: 12  first page: 2764  year: 2025  
doi: 10.3390/microorganisms13122764