The prevalence of antimicrobial resistance and carriage of virulence genes in Staphylococcus aureus isolated from food handlers in Kuwait City restaurants

摘要

BackgroundStaphylococcus aureus is a major cause of food poisoning due to their ability to produce enterotoxins which if ingested in sufficient amounts results in sickness. Food handlers carrying enterotoxin-producing S. aureus in their noses or hands can contaminate food leading to food poisoning. We characterized 200 S. aureus obtained from food handlers in different restaurants for antibacterial resistance and the carriage of virulence genes.