Title : Antimicrobial resistance and virulence profiles of E. coli and S. aureus in food waste
Abstract:
The present study aimed to investigate the level of contamination of collected food waste with Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus in catering services across the counties of Shahr-e Kord, Ardal, Saman, and Borujen, as well as to analyze their antimicrobial resistance and identify associated resistance and virulence genes. Food waste samples were randomly collected from various catering establishments. The samples were cultured in selective media for the isolation and identification of the target bacteria. Biochemical and microbiological tests were performed to confirm the presence of E. coli and S. aureus. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (antibiogram) was then conducted to assess the resistance patterns of the isolated strains. Moreover, molecular techniques such as PCR were employed to detect resistance and virulence genes in the bacterial isolates.The results revealed that a considerable proportion of food waste samples were contaminated with E. coli and S. aureus. Furthermore, several isolates exhibited high levels of antibiotic resistance, likely due to the dissemination of resistance genes. Virulence-associated genes were also detected in some strains, suggesting their potential role in human infections. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of maintaining strict hygienic standards in catering services and underscore the need for improved management and monitoring of food waste to reduce microbial contamination risks.
Key words: Food Waste, Staphylococcus Aureus, Escherichia Coli, Catering Services.
