Identification of Genes Encoding Classical Staphylococcal Enterotoxins in Staphylococcus Aureus Isolated from Raw Milk

This study describes a multiplex PCR assay developed for the detection of Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin types: SEA, SEB, SEC, SED, and SEE presented in the literature as classical. The method was then used to analyse the presence of genes encoding these enterotoxins in .S aureus strains isolated from raw milk. A total of 237 raw milk samples were used in the study and 77 (32.5%) of them were found to be contaminated with S. aureus. Among them, five isolates were harbouring the genes encoding staphylococcal enterotoxins – type C (three strains) and type A (two strains). These results show that raw milk can potentially be a source of staphylococcal food poisoning.