Abstract

Introduction: Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive bacterium producing staphylococcal enterotoxins, responsible worldwide for outbreaks of staphylococcal poisoning. Objective: To determine the genotypification and prevalence of enterotoxigenic Staphylococcus aureus type B, C, D, and E in nasopharyngeal smears of food-handlers. Material and method: Nasopharyngeal samples were obtained of 100 food-handlers from food services of Chillán city, after signing informed consent, the samples were transported to 4 ° C, and then inoculated for 48 hours at 37 ° C in Baird Parker Agar plates. After the confirmatory tests of catalase and coagulase for Staphylococcus aureus, DNA extraction and subsequent molecular identification of enterotoxin type B, C, D, and E were performed by means of conventional PCR amplification. Results: The 38% of the sample was positive by Staphylococcus aureus. Of the total carriers of the bacteria, it was identified that 28.9% produced enterotoxin type B and 7.9% produced type E enterotoxin, of this 2.6% were producers of both enterotoxins. The presence of enterotoxins C and D was not detected by PCR. Conclusions: The 38% of 100 the food-handlers studied carry Staphylococcus aureus, and 36,8% of them produce enterotoxins B and E, representing 14% of the total group of study. Our observation suggests the necessity of strict protocols of food manipulation to prevent contamination of food with S. aureus.