Introduction: Staphylococcus aureus is a major foodborne pathogen that poses a serious threat to public health. Indiscriminate use of antibiotics increases evolution of antibiotic resistant strains. This study aimed to determine the presence of Staphylococcus aureus in milk and milk products and their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. Methods: A total of 334 samples were collected for analysis in the laboratories. To determine antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, selected antibiotics from different classes were used: Penicillin G, Erythromycin, Vancomycin, Chloramphenicol, Tetracycline, Gentamycin, Methicillin, and Cipro oxacin. Results: The presence of S. aureus in milk and milk products was found occurring in 21.56% of all the samples. In raw milk analyzed, 64.81% of samples were contaminated by Staphylococcus aureus, 20.54% in pasteurized milk, 10.71% in yogurt, and 3.57% in ice cream. All isolates were found to be 100 % sensitive to Tetracycline, Cipro oxacin, Erythromycin, and Methicillin. Infrequent sensitivity was found in Gentamicin and Vancomycin. Resistance to Penicillin G was occasionally observed across the different sources of milk and milk products. Resistance to Gentamicin (42 %) and Vancomycin (11 %) was seldom observed in isolates, hence occurring in yogurt samples only. Conclusion and Recommendation: The research hypothesis was rejected based on the presence of pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus across the different samples analyzed. It is recommended that Tetracycline, Cipro oxacin, Methicillin, and Erythromycin antibiotics should be used for the treatment of Staphylococcus aureus infections based on the susceptibility test outcome.

IntroductionL'eau est utilisée d'une façon primordiale dans tout le processus de la fabrication des produits alimentaires. Les industries agroalimentaires du Nord du Maroc utilisent différentes sources d'eaux mais l'eau de réseau public et l'eau de puits sont les principales sources d'eau utilisée. Cette eau peut s'avérer la source principale des éventuelles contaminations et altérations des aliments. Notre but est d'évaluer la qualité bactériologique de l'eau utilisée par les industries agroalimentaires dans la région du Nord du Maroc, d'identifier les différents germes responsables de la pollution de ces eaux et de définir les principales causes de cette pollution.MéthodesDes échantillons d'eau prélevés aux robinets ou des puits ont été analysés pour la recherche des germes indicateurs de la pollution (coliformes totaux (CT), coliformes fécaux (CF), entérocoques intestinaux (E), microorganismes revivifiables (MOR), anaérobies sulfitoréducteurs) et les germes pathogènes (Salmonelles, Staphylocoques, Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Le dénombrement des bactéries a été fait par la technique de filtration et par incorporation en milieu solide en surfusion.RésultatsLes résultats ont montré que les eaux du réseau public ont été de qualité bactériologique satisfaisante tandis que 40% des eaux des puits ont été non conformes aux normes à cause de la présence des indicateurs de pollution CT, CF, E et MOR. En revanche, les germes pathogènes, en particulier les Salmonelles, ont été absents dans les eaux de tous les puits analysés.ConclusionLa pollution de ces puits a été généralement liée au non-respect des conditions de puisage hygiéniques. La qualité bactériologique des eaux de ces puits peut être améliorée par une protection adéquate.

Background: The aim of this research was to determine the prevalence of enterotoxin genes (sea-seo) in Coagulase Positive Staphylococcus (CPS) isolated from unpasteurized milk and milk products. These results were compared with the results obtained by using the detection kit SET-RPLA for the specific detection of staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEA-SED). Methodology: Eighty-one samples of milk and milk products were analyzed for the presence of Staphylococcus strains. Forty-six coagulase positive Staphylococcus isolates were tested for the production of staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEA-SED) by using the reversed passive latex agglutination method. The strains were also tested for the presence of se genes (sea-seo) by polymerase chain reaction. Results: One or more classical enterotoxin products (SEA-SED) were observed in 39% of the strains tested, while se genes were detected in 56.5%. SEA and sea were most commonly detected. For newly discovered se genes among CPS isolates tested in this study, except the seh gene which was revealed in four isolates (8.7 %), none of the strains harbored any of the other se genes (see, seg, sei, sej, sek, sel, sem, seo and sen). Conclusions: The finding of a pathogen such as staphylococci-producing SEs and containing se genes in milk and milk products in northern Morocco may indicate a problem for public health in this region. The presence of enterotoxigenic strains in food does not always necessarily mean that the toxin will be produced. For that reason, the combination of both methods (RPLA and PCR) is a guarantee for success in diagnostic analysis tests.