Enterotoxigenic Staphylococcus aureus in Raw Milk in the North of Palestine

Enterotoxin genes (sea-see) in Staphylococcus aureus isolates recovered from milk of clinically healthy sheep and cows inthe north of Palestine were determined using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Thirty-seven (37%) out of 100 S. aureus isolates were toxin gene positive. Four strains (10.8%) were sea-positive, 20 (54.1%) were seb-positive, 4 (10.8%) were sec-positive, 6(16.2%) were sed-positive and 3 (8.1%) were see-positive. None of these enterotoxigenic isolates carried more than one toxingene. This study indicates that the presence of enterotoxigenic S. aureus in raw milk can contribute to the sources of staphylococcal food poisoning in Palestine.