Prevalence of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Raw Hamburgers and Ready-to-Eat Sandwiches Commercialized in Supermarkets and Fast Food Outlets in Brazil

Although well known, Staphylococcus aureus is a bacterium that remains widely studied because of its high pathogenic potential and its ability to develop resistance to antibiotics routinely used in clinical practice. The present study investigated the occurrence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in hamburgers and sandwiches sold in supermarkets and fast food outlets in Salvador, BA, Brazil. Fifty samples of frozen raw hamburgers (25 beef and 25 chicken) and 50 samples of ready-to-eat sandwiches (25 beef and 25 chicken) were collected and investigated for the presence of MRSA. MRSA was present in 32% of the hamburgers and 8% of the sandwiches. The frequency of MRSA was higher in the samples containing chicken meat. However, the statistical analysis showed no association between MRSA presence and the type of meat investigated. The high prevalence of MRSA in hamburgers and the presence of the microorganism in ready-to-eat sandwiches are worrying and indicate the need for better control during food preparation to prevent the spread of bacteria.