Prevalence, identification and molecular characterization of Cronobacter sakazakii isolated from retail meat products

- Cronobacter sakazakii are widespread in meat products.
- Occurrence of C. sakazakii is an indicator for potential contamination with pathogens and so a health risk for consumers.
- C. sakazakii is a good competitor in growth media.
- In this study we identified 14 C. sakazakii.
- We presented highly specific primer set to amplify 1533 bp 16SrRNA gene.

Cronobacter sakazakii is an opportunistic foodborne pathogen predominantly in neonates with reported incidences in adults especially immunocompromised and the elderly. The current study was carried out to determine the prevalence of these organisms on meat products sold at Mansoura city, Egypt; besides its ability to compete with E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella on their media. Suspected colonies were phenotypically-identified using API 20E system, additional biochemical tests, besides production of yellow-pigmented colonies; and genotypically-identified using species-specific PCR assays to detect the gene responsible for α-glucosidase activity, 16S rRNA gene and internal transcriber spacer sequence between 16S and 23S rRNA. Out of the 93 tested isolates, 14 isolates were confirmed as C. sakazakii with contamination rates of 16% (8/50) and 15% (6/40) of ground beef and beef burger samples, respectively and overall contamination rate of 15.6% (14/90) of all tested samples. The isolates were distributed among 7 different biogroups. These results added new epidemiological evidence about the widespread occurrence of these pathogens on tested meat products and such occurrence is an indicator for potential contamination with pathogens and so a health risk for consumers. Furthermore, C. sakazakii is an important competitor to E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella on their selective media.