Assessing the potential for raw meat to influence human colonization with Staphylococcus aureus

Authors

Margaret Carrel, University of IowaFollow
Chang Zhao, University of Iowa
Dipendra Thapaliya, University of Iowa & Kent State University
Patrick Bitterman, University of IowaFollow
Ashley E. Kates, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Tara C. Smith, University of Iowa & Kent State University

ORCID IDs

http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2715-606X

http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2949-7818

Date of this Version

2017

Citation

ScIEntIfIc RepoRTS | 7: 10848 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-017-11423-6

Comments

The Author(s) 2017

Abstract

The role of household meat handling and consumption in the transfer of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) from livestock to consumers is not well understood. Examining the similarity of S. aureus colonizing humans and S. aureus in meat from the stores in which those individuals shop can provide insight into the role of meat in human S. aureus colonization. S. aureus isolates were collected from individuals in rural and urban communities in Iowa (n = 3347) and contemporaneously from meat products in stores where participants report purchasing meat (n = 913). The staphylococcal protein A (spa) gene was sequenced for all isolates to determine a spa type. Morisita indices and Permutational Multivariate Analysis of Variance Using Distance Matrices (PERMANOVA) were used to determine the relationship between spa type composition among human samples and meat samples. spa type composition was significantly different between households and meat sampled from their associated grocery stores. spa types found in meat were not significantly different regardless of the store or county in which they were sampled. spa types in people also exhibit high similarity regardless of residential location in urban or rural counties. Such findings suggest meat is not an important source of S. aureus colonization in shoppers.