Foodborne
diseases occur worldwide, including those acquired through the
consumption of contaminated meat. This study aimed to investigate the
prevalence of enterotoxigenic Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella and
Escherichia coli pathotypes in different meat types. Forty meat samples
fresh (n=35) and frozen (n=5) were purchased from local markets in Jenin
district, Palestine. Multiplex PCR was used to detect enterotoxigenic
S. aureus, Salmonella and E. coli pathotypes. Total mesophilic aerobic
bacterial count ranged between 4.3 log10 to 5.7 log10 cfu/g for frozen
meat and 6.95 log10 to 7.78 log10 cfu/g for fresh meat. The prevalence
of S. aureus, Salmonella and E. coli was 30%, 25% and 95%, respectively.
Among tested S. aureus strains 75% were enterotoxigenic. Two other
samples of non S. aureus (FemA-) were enterotoxigenic; one was sec+ and
the other was see+. The results also showed that 89.5% of meat samples
contaminated with E. coli that belonge to enterohemorrhagic E. coli
(EHEC), enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), enteroaggregative E. coli
(EAEC), enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), diffuse adherent E. coli (DAEC)
pathotypes. According to these results, it is recommended to establish a
suitable surveillance program for microbial contamination with all
foodborne pathogens.