RESUMEN
Coliforms are relatively common in aquatic environments, but their concentrations can be increased by environmental changes and anthropogenic activities, thus impacting fisheries resources. To determine the microbiological quality in the octopus production chain (capture, post-capture, processing and commercialization), total (TC) and fecal (FC) coliforms were quantified in sea water, fresh octopus, fresh water, ice and octopus in two presentations: packed in ice and boiled. Samples came from fishing zones Enmedio, Chopa and La Gallega at the Veracruz Reef System (VRS) during dry, rainy and windy seasons. The coliforms were determined using the most probable number technique (MPN). The most relevant results indicated that octopus packed in ice coming from the commercialization stage had FC levels >540 MPN/100 g, which exceeded the permissible limits (230 MPN/100 g). Therefore, these products present a risk for human consumption. Differences in FC were observed in octopuses between the three fishing zones (H = 8.697; p = 0.0129) and among the three climatic seasons, increasing during the rainy season, highlighting La Gallega with 203.33 ± 63 MPN (H = 7.200; p = 0.0273). The results provide evidence of the environmental and anthropogenic influences on coliform concentrations and the urgent need to implement an efficient cold chain throughout octopus production stages with adequate handling practices to reverse this situation.
RESUMEN
Staphylococcus spp. figura entre las bacterias patógenas más importantes para el ser humano. La caracterización molecular de cepas de Staphylococcus meticilino resistentes (SMR) es necesaria para conocer qué tipo de complejo cromosómico estafilocócico que transporta el complejo mec (SCCmec) circula en una región. Se estudiaron 21 cepas de S. aureus y 29 de Staphylococcus coagulasa negativa (SCN) aisladas en el Laboratorio de Bacteriología del HUAPA (enero a julio 2007) resistentes a meticilina. Se les realizó antibiograma, PCR múltiple y concentración mínima inhibitoria (CMI) a las cepas positivas para mecA. 19 cepas de S. aureus y 24 de SCN fueron resistentes a oxacilina, correlacionándose con la presencia del gen mecA principalmente en S. aureus; algunas discordancias fueron observadas en SCN. Solo se identificaron Staphylococcus SCCmec tipo I y IV. La caracterización del SCCmec permitió conocer el tipo de Staphylococcus circulante en el hospital, lo que hará posible monitorear cambios futuros en estas cepas.
Staphylococcus spp. figures as one of the most important bacteria for human beings. The molecular characterization of methicillin-resistant Sttaphylococcus strains (MRS) is necessary for knowing what type of staphylococcal chromosomic complex transporting the mec complex (SCCmec) circulates in a certain area. Twenty one methicillin-resistant S. aureus and 29 coagulase negative (CNS) Staphylococcus strains isolated at the Bacteriology Laboratory of the HUAPA were studied during the January-July 2007 period. The study included antibiogram, multiple PCR, and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determination of the mecA positive strains; 19 S. aureus and 24 CNS strains were oxacilline resistant, correlated with the presence of the mec.A gene, mainly in S. aureus since some discordances were observed with the CNS strains. Only Staphylococcus SCCmec type I and II were identified. The SCCmec characterization identified the Staphylococcus type circulating in the hospital, possibilitating the monitoring of future changes of these strains.
