Prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility profile of <I>Staphylococcus aureus</I> from milk and milk products in Nasarawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study determined the prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility profile of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from milk and milk products in Nasarawa State, Nigeria. A total of 180 samples comprising of fresh raw milk, bulk milk, Nono, and Kindirmo were collected over a period of 6 months. Standard microbiological procedures were employed in the isolation, identification, characterization and determination of the antibiogram of S. aureus from the milk samples. Characterization was achieved by morphological, biochemical characteristics using conventional methods and Microgen® STAPH-ID kits. The isolates were tested for susceptibility or resistance to a panel of 11 commonly used antibiotics using the agar disc diffusion technique. Out of the 180 milk samples examined, nine (9) S. aureus were isolated giving a prevalence of 5.0%. The occurrence of S. aureus was higher in Nono (12.1%) and Kindirmo (10.6%) than in fresh raw milk (5.9%). The kind of water (well water) used for cleaning utensils at the Nono and Kindirmo selling points was found to be a risk factor associated with the occurrence of S. aureus in the products. All of the isolates were resistant to cefoxitin (100%), ampicillin (100%), and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (100%). The isolates displayed various rates of resistance to erythromycin (22.2%), sulphamethoxazole/trimethoprim (22.2%), and tetracycline (44.4%). Five (5) antibiotic resistance patterns were recorded among the isolates an indication of different levels of use and misuse of antibiotics in the areas studied. The detection of Staphylococcus aureus in fresh and fermented milk in the areas studied suggests that consumption of dairy products especially those produced using traditional methods, constitute a hazard to consumers. It is recommended that since compliance with basic hygiene requirements is not guaranteed, hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) concepts should be seen as a part of an effective total hygiene concept at the selling points.

Keywords: Antibiotic susceptibility profile, Milk, Nasarawa State, Nigeria, Prevalence, Staphylococcus aureus