Virulence determinants and toxin profile of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus from commercial cheese in Bangladesh: A public health risk

作者：Muhammad Tafazzal Hossain, Fahmida Jahan Fahim, Sohel Rana, Nadia Sultana, Md. Sodor Uddin, Md Nazim Uddin, Monira Noor, Amina Khatun, Kazi Mohammad Ali Zinnah, Anzuman Ara, Ferdaus Mohd Altaf Hossain · 发表于：PLoS ONE · 年份：2026 · DOI：10.1371/journal.pone.0350222 · 研究领域：Antimicrobial Resistance in Staphylococcus、Bacterial biofilms and quorum sensing、Bacillus and Francisella bacterial research

Cheese, a widely consumed dairy product, can be contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), a pathogen capable of producing toxins harmful to humans. Of particular concern is Methicillin-Resistant S. aureus (MRSA), which harbors antimicrobial resistance genes and secretes super-antigenic toxins. Present investigation aimed at determining the occurrence and characterizing MRSA in commercial cheese, to evaluate its potential public health risks. 120 cheese samples representing twelve commercial brands were collected in ten different batches over a six-month period in Sylhet, Bangladesh. The quality of the cheeses was evaluated and compared against the standards of Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA), European Union (EU), and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The occurrence of MRSA and its virulence factors were determined using standard microbiological and molecular techniques. Results revealed that 65% samples were positive for S. aureus, with staphylococcal load surpassing safety thresholds according to the above-mentioned standards. MRSA was detected in 30% of the samples, exhibiting resistance to multiple antibiotics. All the isolates showed resistance against penicillin, tetracycline, doxycycline, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and azithromycin, whereas ceftaroline, norfloxacin, and levofloxacin exhibited intermediate level of sensitivity. Enterotoxin genes SEa and SEc were prevalent in 16.67% and 8.97% of isolates, respectively, while TSST-...