Abstract:
Staphylococcus aureus is a common cause of food poisoning brought on by consuming Staphylococcal enterotoxins-tainted food. A cross sectional study conducted between November 2022 and April 2023 and with a semi-structured questionnaire were used to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of handling along the goat meat supply chain from backyard slaughterhouses to butcher shops. A total of 231 samples were collected simple random sampling. Enumeration of total viable bacterial count and staphylococcus aureus count and antibiogram susceptibility test. The isolated rate of S. aureus from raw meat, cooked meat, and swab samples was 35.56%, 20%, and 44.44%, respectively. The mean values of Total Viable bacterial count in brisket, neck, and thigh muscle of goat meat processed at slaughterhouses were 2.52, 4.26, and 4.41 log cfu/gm., respectively and it was statistically significant (P=0.009). And from cutting board, personnel hand, and knives swab samples taken at butcher shops were 4.68, 4.67, and 5.14 log cfu/ml, respectively. The Total mean value of the Staphylococcus count from goat meat and swab samples were 2.83 log cfu/gm. and 3.57 log cfu/ml, and statistically significant (P=0.000 and P=0.001, respectively. From the 45 S. aureus isolates 31(68.89%) have developed multidrug resistance. Among the interviewed of respondents the sources of carcass contaminations were no received training on hygienic handling of food, no refrigerate meat after processing and have no awareness about carcass contamination were 67.74%, 83.87%, and 87.1% respectively. Therefore Staphylococcus aureus isolates have developed various multidrug resistances; the common multiple resistance pattern was to the combination of Gentamycin, Sulfonamides and Ampicillin. Veterinarians and human healthcare professionals should work in collaboration to create public awareness about the serious health risks involved with the consumption of unhygienic meat and create awareness about misused of drug.