Ready-to-Eat Foods: A Potential Vehicle for the Spread of Coagulase-Positive Staphylococci and Antimicrobial-Resistant in Buea Municipality, South West Cameroon.

The consumption of ready-to-eat (RTE) foods contaminated with coagulase-positive staphylococci (CoPS) and especially puts consumers at a potential risk of food-borne disease or colonization and subsequent infection. This cross-sectional study determined the levels of CoPS and the presence of . in RTE foods sold in Buea municipality. A total of 420 RTE food samples, comprising 70 each of cake, bread, fruit salad, meat hot-pot, suya, and boiled rice were randomly purchased from February to August 2020. The CoPS counts were determined by culturing on Baird-Parker agar, and . was identified by amplification of the gene using the polymerase chain reaction. All . isolates were screened for the presence of classical staphylococcal enterotoxin genes. To determine antimicrobial resistance profiles, each isolate was tested against 11 antimicrobials. Oxacillin-resistant . strains were analyzed for the presence of the A gene. Overall, 161 (38.3%) samples had detectable levels of CoPS ranging from 2.0 to 5.81 log CFU/g. Based on CoPS levels, 37 (8.81%) of the 420 RTE food samples-only fruit salad and meat hot-pot, had unsatisfactory microbiological quality. A total of 72 . isolates, comprising 52.78% from fruit salad, 16.67% from meat hot-pot, 12.5% from boiled rice, 9.72% from suya, 5.56% from bread, and 4.17% from cake, were recovered. None of the . isolates possessed any of the classical enterotoxin genes. All the isolates were susceptible to vancomycin and ofloxacin, while 68 (94.44%) and 66 (91.67%) were susceptible to oxacillin and ciprofloxacin, respectively. Resistance to penicillin (93.06%) was highest, followed by amoxicillin (91.67%) and erythromycin (79.17%). Four isolates were identified as methicillin-resistant . all of which carried the A gene. A total of 24 antibiotypes were identified. Our findings showed that RTE foods sold in the Buea municipality are likely vehicles for the transmission of CoPS and antimicrobial-resistant . .