BIOMOLECULAR IDENTIFICATION OF METHICILLIN-RESISTANT STRAINS OF STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS (MRSA) ISOLATED FROM MEAT AND MEAT PROCESSING ENVIRONMENTS

371 samples from meat and meat-environments were collected and examined for the detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The structural gene for penicillin-binding protein 2a (mecA gene), was amplified by PCR and detected by agarose gel electrophoresis. 96 samples (25.8%), contained S. aureus and 2 of them (2.08%) were mecA positive. Further assays are necessary to evaluate the spread of MRSA in food and food-environments.