Abstract

VANEGAS, MARÍA CONSUELO; MARTINEZ, AIDA JULIANA  and  MEDRANO, MAYRA VIVIANA. Molecular characterization of toxigenic Staphylococci strains isolated from food handlers. Infect. [online]. 2006, vol.10, n.3, pp.167-174. ISSN 0123-9392.

Objective. To use Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) to compare molecularly enterotoxigenic Staphylococci strains isolated from people working in food processing plants. Materials and methods. 31 Staphylococci enterotoxigenic isolates were used for extraction and quantification of DNA, followed by a general amplification cycle with the HLWL-74 and arbitrary oligonucleotides with visualization of the RAPD products by agarose gel electrophoresis. Results. The two oligonucleotides used generated 1 to 15 bands, two mayor lineages divided in three clusters (A, B, and C). The arbitrary oligonucleotide generated 10 polymorphic bands (66.66%), the HLWL-74 oligonucleotide generated 13 polymorphic bands (86.66%). Each oligonucleotide generated a different type of grouping with respect to each of the strains analyzed. This shows a high diversity between the human isolates of Staphylococci. Conclusion. A high molecular diversity was present amongst throat, nose and hands isolates from the same person, and among the analyzed isolates; this demonstrates a high molecular diversity in Staphylococci enterotoxigenic isolates.

Keywords : Staphylococci; RAPD; food handlers; polymorphisms; toxins.

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