The consumption of sushi or poke has grown globally. However, this type of dish often contains raw fish or seafood; therefore, it can pose a microbial risk for consumers. This study deals with the occurrence of total and antibiotic-resistant coliform bacteria and enterococci in fish and seafood as well as sushi and poke bought from Slovak retail (restaurants and fast food). Total coliforms have ranged in sushi, poke samples and samples of fish and seafood from cooling counters from 0.6 to 5.1 log CFU/g. Ampicillin resistance has been predominantly observed in all types of samples. Tetracycline resistance was detected in 16% of all tested samples and gentamicin resistance in 13%. Total enterococci has been detected in 74% of sushi samples, 100% of poke samples and 62% of samples obtained from supermarkets. The majority of enterococci were resistant to ampicillin. Vancomycin resistance was observed in five samples. Forty-eight resistant coliforms were identified mainly as Enterobacter spp. and Klebsiella spp. Antibiotic-resistant isolates were predominantly resistant to gentamicin, chloramphenicol and tetracycline. In 13% of resistant isolates was detected efflux pumps overproduction, and in four isolates was detected the tetA resistance gene. Our results point to poor hygiene in some establishments. The prevention of the antibiotic-resistant bacteria spread would be in better stewardship and improved monitoring of sanitation.

Staphylococci are common pathogens in dogs, causing a variety of dermatological problems. This study aimed to characterize the prevalence, antibiotic resistance, and biofilm-forming potential of Staphylococcus species isolated from the skin of shelter dogs. Overall, 108 samples were collected from the hairless skin areas of dogs in a shelter over one year. Isolates were cultured using standard microbiological methods and identified through biochemical testing, MALDI-TOF MS, and multiplex PCR. A total of 67 Staphylococcus isolates were identified, with S. pseudintermedius being the most prevalent. Antibiotic susceptibility was assessed using disk diffusion and MIC methods, revealing high resistance to ampicillin, erythromycin, and tetracycline. Notably, 12 multidrug-resistant SIG (S. intermedius group; S. pseudintermedius) and 4 CoNS strains (coagulase-negative staphylococci; S. equorum) were identified. Biofilm production was evaluated using a crystal violet assay, showing variable biofilm-forming capabilities among isolates and PCR, to confirm genes associated with biofilm formation. These findings highlight the presence of multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus species in shelter dogs, emphasizing the need for careful monitoring and antibiotic stewardship to manage potential risks to both animal and human health.

Foodborne diseases represent a significant global public health problem. For this reason, food safety and quality are among the main priorities of many international and global organisations. An important risk factor for bacterial food poisoning is the consumption of food contaminated with toxinogenic bacteria. The most important causative agent of alimentary intoxications is Staphylococcus aureus. Staphylococcal poisoning occurs after ingestion of food containing staphylococcal enterotoxins produced by toxinogenic strains of staphylococci, especially S. aureus. Recent studies focus on the presence and toxinogenic character of S. aureus isolates from food; however, toxin production has also been detected in other coagulase-positive and even coagulase-negative staphylococci. If such toxinogenic staphylococci are also antibiotic resistant, the risk of poisoning, as well as the duration and cost of treatment, and the possibility of the spread and survival of these strains in the environment are increased. The main aim of this review is to summarise the current knowledge regarding the characteristics, expression, and control of staphylococcal enterotoxins in food matrices.

In recent years, several alimentary diseases have been connected with the consumption or tasting of raw flour and dough. Microbiological quality concern is also raising due to increased consumer demand for plant powders, while some of them can be consumed without prior thermal processing. In this study, we have focused on the occurrence of antibiotic-resistant coliform bacteria and enterococci in flour, plant powder and dough from Slovak retail. Our results indicated the presence of both total and antibiotic-resistant coliform bacteria and enterococci in the flour and powder samples. Lower numbers of the total, as well as resistant bacteria, were detected in flours compared to plant powders. Coliform bacteria isolates were predominantly identified as Klebsiella spp. and Enterobacter spp. Ampicillin resistance appeared in 97% of isolates followed by chloramphenicol resistance (22%) and tetracycline resistance (17%). The presence of the bla_SHV gene was confirmed in 13% of isolates. The tetA and tetE genes were present in 25% of isolates of coliform bacteria. The presence of enterococci was detected only in plant powders. Antibiotic-resistant strains were identified as the following: Enterococcus casseliflavus, E. gallinarium and E. faecium. Despite the isolates showing resistance to vancomycin, the presence of the vanA gene was not detected. The majority of antibiotic-resistant isolates belonged to the group of medium biofilm producers. None of these isolates showed efflux pump overproduction. Antibiotic-resistant coliform bacteria and enterococci were not detected in the processed doughs.

Staphylococcus spp. represent a persistent concern in food-related environments due to the interplay between virulence traits, antimicrobial resistance, and persistence mechanisms. This study comparatively characterized antimicrobial resistance, persistence phenotypes, and enterotoxigenic potential in 83 Staphylococcus isolates from food, humans, and animals. Phenotypic production of staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEA–SEE) was detected in 59% of isolates, including coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS), accounting for 20% of enterotoxigenic isolates. Classical se genes ( sea – see ) were identified in 46% of isolates, with sea and sec most prevalent. None of the isolates was fully susceptible to all tested antibiotics and 48% were multidrug-resistant, with the highest resistance rates for erythromycin, penicillin, and clindamycin. The mecA gene was detected in 61% of isolates; however, phenotypic cefoxitin resistance was mainly observed in human-derived isolates, indicating mecA presence did not consistently correspond to phenotypic expression. Higher EtBr IC₅₀ values were associated with increased tolerance to ciprofloxacin and erythromycin, indicating a link between efflux activity and antimicrobial tolerance. All isolates formed biofilm, with significantly higher biofilm intensity in enterotoxin-positive food-derived isolates ( p = 0.002), demonstrating an association between enterotoxigenicity and persistence traits. Comparative analysis revealed higher antimicrobial resistance in human- and animal-derived isolates, whereas food-derived isolates showed a combination of enterotoxigenicity and strong biofilm formation. These findings indicate that food-associated staphylococci may pose a relevant food safety risk due to the interplay between toxin production and persistence. Furthermore, the detection of enterotoxigenic CoNS supports their consideration alongside S. aureus in food safety assessments.