Enterotoxin production by Staphylococcus aureus isolated from mastitic cows

• Published in: Journal of food protection Vol. 66; no. 9; pp. 1693 - 1696
• Main Authors: CENCI-GOGA, B. T, KARAMA, M, ROSSITTO, P. V, MORGANTE, R. A, CULLOR, J. S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Des Moines, IA International Association of Milk, Food and Environmental Sanitarians 01.09.2003
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Cattle; enterotoxin A; enterotoxin B; enterotoxin C; enterotoxin D; Enterotoxins - biosynthesis; Female; Food Contamination - analysis; Food industries; Food Microbiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Mastitis, Bovine - microbiology; Milk - microbiology; Milk and cheese industries. Ice creams; Staphylococcal Food Poisoning - microbiology; Staphylococcal Infections - microbiology; Staphylococcal Infections - veterinary; Staphylococcus aureus; Staphylococcus aureus - metabolism; USA, California; Dairy animal; Mastitis; Farming animal; Dairy cattle; Dairy product; Ox; Cow; Mammary gland diseases; Toxin; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Enterotoxin; Bacteria; Micrococcales; Cow milk; Micrococcaceae; Artiodactyla; Biological contamination; Ungulata; Staphylococcus aureus
• ISSN: 0362-028X; 1944-9097
• DOI: 10.4315/0362-028x-66.9.1693

Staphylococcus aureus is an important cause of mastitis in cows. The ability of S. aureus strains to produce one or more enterotoxins in milk and dairy products is linked to staphylococcal food poisoning. To determine whether staphylococci causing bovine mastitis could cause human foodborne intoxication, the production of staphylococcal enterotoxins A through D (SEA, SEB, SEC, and SED) by 160 S. aureus isolates was evaluated with the use of a reverse passive latex agglutination enterotoxin kit. All S. aureus strains were isolated over a 9-month period from 2,343 routine submissions of a composite quarter collection of individual mastitic cows at 18 dairy farms in the San Joaquin Valley in California. Prior to enterotoxin detection, isolates were grown by a method that enhances the in vitro synthesis of enterotoxin. Twenty-two of 160 S. aureus isolates produced enterotoxin. Seven produced SEC, 12 produced SED, and 3 produced both SEC and SED. None of the isolates produced SEA or SEB.