Characterization of Bacillus cereus Isolates from Local Dairy Products in Egypt

bacillus cereus is an important, opportunistic, foodborne pathogen found in various dairy products. In this study, the prevalence, physiological characteristics, antimicrobial resistance profile, and enterotoxigenic genes (ces hbla) of b. were investigated isolates from Egyptian A total 150 samples, including soft white cheese, milk powder, ultra-high temperature (UHT) (50 each), collected local stores EL-Gharbia governorate, Egypt April 2019 to October 2019. Of these, 29 samples contaminated with (an overall prevalence 19.3%). Based on cultural, morphological, biochemical 48 detected 27 (56.25%) 9 (18.75%) 12 (25%) UHT milk. Antibiotic susceptibility assessment showed that all exhibited high sensitivity amikacin, doxycyclin, gentamycin, ciprofloxacin, while significant kanamycin, clindamycin, nalidixic acid, cephalothin, sulphamethoxazole was also observed. All examined for presence emetic (ces) diarrheal (hbla) using PCR method; ces isolates, hbla 14 (29.2%) 22 (45.8%) did not harbor either gene. These findings indicate need application adequate preventive measures personnel hygiene processing lines minimize load final