Distribution of classical enterotoxin genes in staphylococci from milk of cows withand without mastitis and the cowshed environment

The aim of this study was to analyze by PCR 185 isolates of Staphylococcus from milk of cows with- and without mastitis and from the cowsheds environment for their potential ability to produce five classical staphylococcal enterotoxins. Among S. aureus isolates 8 (32%) carried enterotoxin genes and only 2 of them had more than one gene. The enterotoxin genes were detected in 22 (13.7%) coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) isolates, among them in 9 (11.4%) isolates of S. xylosus, 5 (16.7%) S. sciuri, 3 (10.3%) S. epidermidis and in 5 (22.7%) Staphylococcus spp. In some CNS 2 or 3 genes were detected simultaneously. Among the investigated enterotoxin genes, sec was the most prevalent (70%). The genes encoding enterotoxin B and D were detected in 5 (16.7%) and 6 (20%) isolates, respectively. The lowest number of isolates had sea and see genes. The genes encoding enterotoxins were often identified in staphylococci from milk of cows with mastitis (73.4% of detected genes), while only 6 (20%) isolates from milk of cows without mastitis and 2 (6.6%) isolates from cowshed environment were positive for enterotoxin genes. The results showed that CNS from bovine milk, like S. aureus, carried enterotoxin genes and may pose a risk for public health.