USE OF PCR TO DETECT CLASSICAL ENTEROTOXINS GENES (ENT) AND TOXIC SHOCK SYNDROME TOXIN-1 GENE (TST) IN STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS ISOLATED FROM CRUDE MILK AND DETERMINATION OF TOXIN PRODUCTIVITIES OF S. AUREUS ISOLATES HARBORING THESE GENES

Abstract

ABSTRACT During a 2-year period (2003-2004), 132 strains of Staphylococcusaureus isolated from crude milk (without thermal treatment) collected in different places in Piracicaba, São Paulo State, Brazil, were investigated for the presence of genes for enterotoxins (ent) and toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (tst). Polymerase-chain reaction (PCR) was performed by using 6 pairs of relevant oligonucleotide primers. Ninety isolates (68.18%) were positive for (47 strains) or 2 (43 strains) toxin genes. The combination of entA and tst showed the highest prevalence (33 strains).The good correlation between PCR results and toxin protein detection and identification by optimum-sensitivity-plate (OSP) test was observed when 44.45% of strains showed positive for toxin production.