SCREENING OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE AND VIRULENCE GENES OF ENTEROCOCCUS SPP. STRAINS ISOLATED FROM URFA CHEESE

Enterococcus faecium, E. durans and faecalis species were isolated identified from traditional Urfa cheese samples which produced unpasteurized raw milk. The enterococcal load of the was between 4.4-5.6 log cfu g−1. High-level tetracycline, streptomycin, erythromycin, gentamycin, penicillin resistance determined in isolates. Multiple antibiotic also (20.4%) faecium (16.3%) strains. 36.7% isolates greater than 0.2 MAR index ratio this study. gelE agg2 genes found 40 (81.63%) isolates, whereas vanB gene 3 (6.12%) results indicate that consumption cheese, is using milk, may have public health risk because its characteristics virulence biota.