Exposure of Buffalo Milkers to Pathogenic Bacteria and Characterization of Isolated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus spp

Federica Carraturo, Maria Chiara Alterisio, Jacopo Guccione, Valeria Cerullo, Michela Salamone, Michela Morelli, Giovanni Libralato, Ernesto Russo, Raffaele d’Angelo, Paolo Ciaramella, Antonio Di Loria and Marco Guida
Additional contact information
Federica Carraturo: Hygiene Laboratories: Water, Food, Environment, Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 26, 80126 Naples, Italy
Maria Chiara Alterisio: Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Via Delpino 1, 8013 Naples, Italy
Jacopo Guccione: Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Via Delpino 1, 8013 Naples, Italy
Valeria Cerullo: Hygiene Laboratories: Water, Food, Environment, Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 26, 80126 Naples, Italy
Michela Salamone: Hygiene Laboratories: Water, Food, Environment, Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 26, 80126 Naples, Italy
Michela Morelli: Hygiene Laboratories: Water, Food, Environment, Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 26, 80126 Naples, Italy
Giovanni Libralato: Hygiene Laboratories: Water, Food, Environment, Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 26, 80126 Naples, Italy
Ernesto Russo: INAIL, Istituto Nazionale per L’assicurazione Contro Gli Infortuni Sul Lavoro, Direction of Regione Campania, Consulenza Tecnica Accertamento Rischi e Prevenzione-CONTARP, Via S. Nicola alla Dogana 9, 80133 Naples, Italy
Raffaele d’Angelo: INAIL, Istituto Nazionale per L’assicurazione Contro Gli Infortuni Sul Lavoro, Direction of Regione Campania, Consulenza Tecnica Accertamento Rischi e Prevenzione-CONTARP, Via S. Nicola alla Dogana 9, 80133 Naples, Italy
Paolo Ciaramella: Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Via Delpino 1, 8013 Naples, Italy
Antonio Di Loria: Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Via Delpino 1, 8013 Naples, Italy
Marco Guida: Hygiene Laboratories: Water, Food, Environment, Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 26, 80126 Naples, Italy

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 7, 1-16

Abstract: The research was focused on the surveillance of the exposure of buffalo milkers in contact with both animals and potentially contaminated equipment, pointing attention on the diffusion of antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus spp. The monitoring was performed for 12 months, allowing the collection of 600 raw milk and buffalo udder surface samples, 192 milking lanes, 400 milking clusters, 160 personal protective equipment (PPEs) and electronic devices surface samples in contact with the workers of four milking parlors located in Southern Italy. The analysis of the milk samples evidenced the highest exposure to the bacteria considered (and mainly to S. aureus ) from late winter–spring seasons onward. The possible risk arising from buffalo udder, milking clusters, and lines were instead considered rather stable along the entire period of sampling. The PPEs turned out to be a source of contamination for milkers mainly during the spring and summer periods. The analysis for oxacillin/methicillin resistance revealed in all the farms enrolled an overall amount of 37.5% of Staphylococci strains (belonging to S. aureus, S. haemolyticus, S. pseudintermedius, S. chromogenes species) resistant both to methicillin and oxacillin. The investigation demonstrated that the potential transfer of pathogenic bacteria to humans would have a better chance to occur at milk resumption time (since late winter–spring onward) when the number of animals to be milked is greater and the activity in the milking parlor is more challenging. At the same time, the findings seem to point out that the potential risk may be worsened by a significant presence of oxacillin/methicillin-resistant Staphylococci, potentially resulting from irrational use of antibiotics.

Keywords: buffalo; milking parlors; Staphylococcus aureus; zoonosis; occupational health; methicillin-resistant; MRSA (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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