Dynamics of antimicrobial resistance and virulence of staphylococcal species isolated from foods traded in the Cape Coast metropolitan and Elmina municipality of Ghana

Daniel Sakyi Agyirifo; Theophilus Abonyi Mensah; Andrews Senyenam Yao Senya; Alphonse Hounkpe; Cindy Deladem Dornyoh; Emmanuel Plas Otwe

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21584

Dynamics of antimicrobial resistance and virulence of staphylococcal species isolated from foods traded in the Cape Coast metropolitan and Elmina municipality of Ghana

Heliyon. 2023 Nov 3;9(11):e21584. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21584. eCollection 2023 Nov.

Authors

Daniel Sakyi Agyirifo¹, Theophilus Abonyi Mensah¹, Andrews Senyenam Yao Senya¹, Alphonse Hounkpe¹, Cindy Deladem Dornyoh¹, Emmanuel Plas Otwe¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.

Abstract

The impact of staphylococci on food poisoning and infections could be higher than previously reported. In this study, we characterised the occurrence and coexistence of antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes of staphylococci isolates in foods. Staphylococci were isolated from 236 samples of selected street-vended foods and identified. The pattern of antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes in the staphylococci were assessed using disc diffusion, PCR and analysis of next-generation sequencing data. The food samples (70.76 %) showed a high prevalence of staphylococci and differed among the food categories. Forty-five Staphylococcus species were identified and comprised coagulase-negative and positive species. Staphylococcus sciuri (now Mammaliicoccus sciuri), S. aureus, S. kloosii, S. xylosus, S. saprophyticus, S. haemolyticus and S. succinus were the most abundant species. The staphylococcal isolates exhibited resistance to tetracycline, levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, gentamicin and amikacin and susceptibility to nitrofurantoin. Antimicrobial susceptibilities were also reported for cefoperazone, ceftriaxone, cefotaxime, nalidixic acid and piperacillin-tazobactam. The antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes commonly detected consisted of tet, arl, macB, van, gyr, nor, optrA, bcrA, blaZ, taeA and S. aureus lmrS. The isolates frequently exhibited multiple resistance (30.42 %) of up to eight antimicrobial drug classes. The isolates predominantly harboured genes that express efflux pump proteins (50.53 %) for antibiotic resistance compared with inactivation (10.05 %), target alteration (26.72 %), protection (7.67 %) and replacement (3.17 %). The virulence determinants comprised genes of pyrogenic toxin superantigens (eta, etb, tst), adhesions (clf, fnbA, fnbB, cna, map, ebp, spA, vWbp, coa) and genes that express exoproteins (nuclease, metalloprotease, γ-hemolysin, hyaluronate lyase). There was a statistically significant difference in the prevalence of staphylococci isolates and their antimicrobial resistance and virulence profile as revealed by the phenotypic, PCR and next-generation sequencing techniques. The findings suggest a higher health risk for consumers. We recommend a critical need for awareness and antimicrobial susceptibility and anti-virulence strategies to ensure food safety and counteract the spread of this clinically relevant genus.

Keywords: Antimicrobial susceptibility; Multiple drug resistance; Polymerase chain reaction; Staphylococcus species; Virulence; Whole-genome shotgun sequencing.