Prevalence and Characterization of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus from Meat Retail Shops and Meat Handlers in the Buea Municipality, Cameroon

Aim: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a notorious multidrug-resistant biovar of S. aureus associated with infections that result in high morbidity and mortality in humans and animals. Its persistence in both host and non-host environments adds a major ecological dimension to the problem, thereby making it a one health challenge. This study determined the prevalence and antibiotic resistance patterns of MRSA from meat retail shops and meat handlers in the Buea municipality in addition to basic hygiene practices implemented in the meat retail shops.

Study Design: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 260 samples (comprising 52 swabs each from weighing balances, butchering slabs, cutting knives, hands of meat handlers and meat samples) were randomly obtained and subjected to microbiological analysis. Data on sociodemographic characteristics of meat handlers and basic hygiene practices were captured in a questionnaire.

Methodology: After enrichment, each sample was inoculated on mannitol salt agar and DNA extracted from presumptive S. aureus isolates for detection of the nuc gene. MRSA was identified by oxacillin disk diffusion and confirmed by amplification of the mecA gene. All MRSA isolates were challenged with 10 commonly used antibiotics using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method.

Results: A total of 27 MRSA isolates were recovered from hand swabs (5.8%), meat (15.4%), knives swabs (21.2%) and butchering slabs (9.6%). All (100%) MRSA were resistant to ampicillin and cefepime followed by ofloxacin (92.6%), ciprofloxacin (81.5%) and vancomycin (37%). High susceptibility was observed for gentamicin (100%) and amikacin (100%). All isolates were multidrug-resistant and comprised 11 antibiotypes. Most meat handlers (71.2%) did not have basic meat safety training, while 90.4% of the meat retail shops did not have a nearby water source.

Conclusion: Our results indicate that meat retail shops could be a potential reservoir of MRSA in the environment and meat handlers need more basic meat safety training.