• Food Science and Biotechnology
• /
• v.16 no.4
• /
• pp.621-625
• /
• 2007

Staphylococcus aureus in Korean kimbab rolls was monitored seasonally in 4 major cities of Korea to investigate the risk of S. aureus in a pre-prepared meal. Thirty-five (28.6%) of 105 kimbab rolls purchased in winter were contaminated with S. aureus with an average level of 2.6 log CFU/g. Thirty-six (33.0%) of 109 kimbab rolls purchased in summer and autumn were contained S. aureus with an average level of 2.9 log CFU/g. Kimbab purchased in snack bars showed higher S. aureus contamination rates with the maximum level of 4.7 log CFU/g than that purchased in convenience stores. Of the raw materials in kimbab, uncooked perilla leaf had the highest contamination rate of S. aureus. Less than 50% of S. aureus isolated from kimbab produced enterotoxin and most of the staphylococcal enterotoxin produced by S. aureus in kimbab was type A.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
• /
• v.40 no.1
• /
• pp.48-54
• /
• 2008

Nine types of staphylococcal enterotoxin (SE) genes (sea~see, seg~sej), 3 types of virulence genes (eta, etb, tst), mecA and 16S rRNA as internal positive control were detected from 187 clinical MRSA (methicillin resistance Staphylococcus aureus) strains isolated from a variety hospitalized patients in Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do areas using the multiplex PCR. The frequency of the S. aureus strains harboring recently reported SE genes (seg~sej) were found to be very high (65.9%) and greater than that of the strains harboring classical SE (sea~see) genes (47.8%) as previously established. Taking into account that the newly described pairs form SE genes (i.e., sec+seg+sei, seg+sei) were many, in the other hand, single form SE genes (i.e., seg, seh, sei and sej) were rarely detected. The S. aureus with pairs form enterotoxigenic genes become more potentially toxigenic strains. Furthermore, this work indicated a systematic association between the seg and sei genes and their high incidence among the S, aureus strains, which suggests that these two SE's could be an important phylogenetic link among the staphylococcal enterotoxins.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.34 no.6
• /
• pp.576-582
• /
• 2019

Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is an opportunistic pathogen in dogs and is recognized as a zoonotic pathogen causing public health concern. Although canine-associated S. pseudintermedius has mainly been recognized for its antimicrobial resistance and ability to cause skin infections in dogs, information on antimicrobial resistance profiles and enterotoxigenicity of S. pseudintermedius in livestock is very limited. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of 18 different staphylococcal enterotoxin (SE) genes and toxic shock syndrome toxin gene (tst-1) in S. pseudintermedius strains isolated from dogs, pigs, and beef cattle. Moreover, antimicrobial resistance profiles of the strains were determined along with the presence of mecA and SCCmec types. Except for one bovine isolate, all S. pseudintermedius isolates from dogs and pigs were resistant to multiple drugs (≥ 4 different drugs). Four out of six canine isolates were methicillin resistant and carried SCCmec type V. In addition, 11 different SE genes (seb, sec, see, seg, sei, sej, sel, seo, sep, seq, and seu) and tst-1 were identified in S. pseudintermedius isolates from dogs, pigs, and beef cattle. Most S. pseudintermedius isolates (83%) harbored multiple SE genes, and sel (42%) and sep (42%) were most frequently detected in the isolates. Our results suggested that S. pseudintermedius isolates from livestock and companion animals may serve as a reservoir for SE genes and antimicrobial resistance.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.38 no.3
• /
• pp.553-558
• /
• 1998

Using the previous established multiplex PCR (mPCR), the presence of six kinds of staphylococcal superantigen (SAg) genes was investigated for nineteen Staphylococcus aureus isolates from the commercialized meat sources. As a result, only one isolate from pork among 19 S aureus isolates (5.3%) was confirmed as a potential SAg producer and harbored sec gene. The results in this study suggest that meat may not be major contagion of staphylococcal food poisoning (SFP) in Korea and that staphylococcal enterotoxin type C may be associated with the disease. Also, the mPCR method in this study can be a useful genotypic method which can overcome the typical disadvantages of conventional antibody-based methods due to antigenic homology, and furthur survey on food-borne S aureus isolates can provide the important epidemiological data for SFP in Korea.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.425-429
• /
• 2003

Staphylococcus aureus is a major pathogen for cattle, causing various forms of subclinical and clinical mastitis and could be a causative agent of food poisoning, it produces various superantigenic exotoxins which have a great public health significance. A total of 72 S. aureus clinical isolates from dairy farms located in Kyunggi Province Korea were examined for the species identification by biochemical method, and for the detection of $\beta$-lactamase, enterotoxin and other exotoxins genes by PCR. The results of species identification by biochemical method agreed with those of PCR done with species specific primer STA-AU. $\beta$-lactamase is an enzyme closely associated with the resistance to antibiotic penicillin, which is an important means of treatment of mastitis, all the isolates were positive for the presence of genes encoding $\beta$-lactamase, which were reproduced in penicillin susceptibility disc assay. Six types of toxin genes, Staphylococcal enterotoxin (SE)A, SEB, SEC, SEE, toxic shock syndrome toxin (TSST-1) and exfoliative toxin A (ET A) were detected in 72 isolates by PCR associated genotypic method in this study, none of the isolates carried the genes for enterotoxin D (SED) and exfoliative toxin B (ETB). The occurrence rate of exotoxin genes rated as 12.5%, and the precision of the PCR identification results has been confirmed using the reference strains.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.22 no.7
• /
• pp.894-901
• /
• 2012

Based on their respective antitumor and thrombolytic activities, the superantigen staphylococcal enterotoxin C2 (SEC2) and staphylokinase (Sak) were chosen for the construction of the novel chimeric proteins Sak-linker-SEC2 and SEC2-linker-Sak using a linker composed of nine Ala residues. Both chimeric proteins possessed nearly the same PBMC proliferation stimulating activity and antitumor activity as SEC2 and thrombolytic activity as Sak. Neither the SEC2 or Sak component of each chimeric protein affected the activity of the other component. The results presented in this study provide a possible strategy to prevent and cure tumor thrombus.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.41 no.2
• /
• pp.177-188
• /
• 2001

Mastitis is one of the most significant cause of economic loss to the dairy industry. Especially, Staphylococcus aureus is a major contagious mastitis-causing pathogen in dairy cattle. Because of its high transmission rate and resistance to antibiotic therapy, staphylococcal mastitis presents a constant threat to the dairy industry. Staphylococcal enterotoxin C(SEC) produced by S aureus has been known as one of superantigens which are able to stimulate a large proportion of T lymphocytes independently of their antigenic specificity. In this experiment, we have conducted preliminary studies with mice and lactating cows to evaluate the immunogenicity and safety of the experimental vaccine consists of SEC mutant antigen on controlling the bovine mastitis associated with S aureus infections. The average value of somatic cell counts in quarter milk, isolation rate of S aureus were consistently decreased in SEC-SER vaccinated groups, whereas antibody titers were highly increased in SEC-SER vaccinated groups. Peripheral blood were also collected from the lactating cows to determine the proportion of leukocyte subpopulation associated with humoral immunity(HI) and cell mediated immunity(CMI). Proportion of leukocyte subpopulation expressing $BoCD2^+$(total T lymphocyte), $BoCD4^+$(T helper cell), $BoCD8^+$(T cytotoxic/suppressor cell) and NonT/NonB lymphocyte which are involved in CMI in SEC-SER vaccinated groups were decreased for the initial stage after first vaccination and then increased from ten weeks after first vaccination maintaining elevated level till 14 weeks after vaccination. In contrast, proportion of monocyte, MHC class II and B lymphocyte which are associated with the production of primary immune response in SEC-SER vaccinated groups were increased for the initial period and then decreased from ten weeks after first vaccination. We present evidence that vaccination of SEC-SER mutant antigen in lactating cows induced a significant proliferation of bovine T lymphocytes. These results suggest that SEC-SER mutant antigen used in this experiment might be one of potential immunogen in developing innovative vaccine against bovine IMI associated with S aureus. Additional challenge trials should be carried out to evaluate substantial protection against S aureus under the commercial farm conditions.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.37 no.2
• /
• pp.321-327
• /
• 2005

Staphylococcus aureus is spread worldwide and can result in food poisoning outbreaks. Among samples collected from soil, water, protected houses, packing houses, employees, strawberries, and leaves, and analyzed for S. aureus contamination, 16% samples 'showed S. aureus contamination, particularly on employees' hands, scissors, and strawberries. Examination of enterotoxins A, B, and C genes of S. aureus by PCR revealed sea and seb in 92 and 38% of total strains, respectively, whereas sec was not detected. In conclusion, implementation of Good Agricultural Practice is necessary for preventing food-borne diseases of staphylococcal origin, thereby ensuring the safety of farm-to-table products.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.20 no.6
• /
• pp.780-786
• /
• 1988

In order to investigate the most efficient and rapid method for the purification of enterotoxin A from Staphylococcus aureus M 7/1, various methods such as ion-exchange chromatography on Amberlite, and CM-cellulose. gel filtration on Sephadex G-50, 75, 100 and Sephacryl, and fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) were applied and compared in terms of purity and speed. Although ion-exchange chromatography on Amberlite resin was good enough to remove other materials in culture medium from enterotoxin, and convenient, and fast method, the purity of this method was less than 70%. However. carboxymethyl ion-exchange column showed to be better purity than that of Amberlite method. The yields of these two methods were about 70% and 75%, respectively. When gel filtration methods on Sephadex G-50, 75, 100 and Sephacryl were applied, the purity was about 90%. Fast protein liquid chromatography was found to be the most efficient method in terms of purity (97%) and speed. The combined method, gel filtration after CM-cellulose column (stepwise elution) treatment can be also used as a efficient method particularly for the purification of large volume of sample.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
• /
• v.35 no.4
• /
• pp.502-506
• /
• 2015

The aim of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial resistance profiles of and the enterotoxin gene distribution in 4 strains of Staphylococcus aureus (S10-2, S10-3, S12-2, and S13-2) isolated from 90 bulgogi samples. The S. aureus enterotoxin H gene (seh) was found in all the strains, while the S. aureus enterotoxin A gene (sea) was found only in 3 of the 4 strains. The S10-2 strain expressed a combination of enterotoxin genes - seg, seh, sei, sej, selm, and seln. The strains S10-2 and S13-2 were resistant to ampicillin and penicillin G, and all the isolated strains were resistant to tetracycline. The S10-2 strain was the only mecA-positive strain; it was also resistant to β-lactam antibiotics. Thus, genes encoding enterotoxin as well as those conferring antibiotic resistance were identified in the S. aureus strains isolated from pork bulgogi. These results represents the potential occurrence of MRSA in pork bulgogi, and the need for a monitoring system for pork bulgogi in order to prevent an outbreak of staphylococcal food poisoning.