Occurrence of Staphylococcus aureus and their Resistant Strains in Raw Meat sold at a Metropolitan Abattoir in Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus is a major foodborne pathogen associated with raw meat contamination and an emerging public health concern due to increasing antimicrobial resistance. This study assessed the occurrence and antimicrobial susceptibility profile of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from raw meat sold at a metropolitan abattoir in Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria. A total of 80 raw meat samples, comprising beef, chevon, and mutton, were analyzed using standard microbiological methods. Isolation was carried out using Mannitol Salt Agar and confirmed by biochemical tests, while antimicrobial susceptibility was determined using the Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion method. Out of the samples analyzed, 26 (32.5%) were positive for Staphylococcus aureus. Beef recorded the highest prevalence (40%), followed by chevron (32%) and mutton (24%), with no significant association between animal species and contamination (p > 0.05). The isolates showed high resistance to oxacillin (46.2%), erythromycin (42.3%), and penicillin (38.5%), while all the isolates were susceptible to vancomycin (100%). The presence of antimicrobial-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in raw meat highlights a potential route for transmission of resistant pathogens to humans through the food chain.