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Antibiotics
Volume 14
Issue 8
10.3390/antibiotics14080787
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Communication

Raw Sheep Milk as a Reservoir of Multidrug-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus: Evidence from Traditional Farming Systems in Romania

by
Răzvan-Dragoș Roșu
,
Adriana Morar
,
Alexandra Ban-Cucerzan
,
Mirela Imre
,
Sebastian Alexandru Popa
,
Răzvan-Tudor Pătrînjan
,
Alexandra Pocinoc
and
Kálmán Imre
*
Department of Animal Production and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences “King Mihai I” from Timisoara, 300645 Timisoara, Romania
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Antibiotics 2025, 14(8), 787; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics14080787 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 23 July 2025 / Revised: 31 July 2025 / Accepted: 1 August 2025 / Published: 2 August 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Virulence, Antimicrobial Resistance and Biofilm Production in Veterinary, Zoonotic and Food-Related Pathogens)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Staphylococcus aureus is a major pathogen of concern in raw milk due to its potential to cause foodborne illness and its increasing antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In Romania, data on the occurrence and resistance patterns of S. aureus in raw sheep milk from traditional farming systems remain limited. This study investigated the presence and antimicrobial resistance of S. aureus in 106 raw sheep milk samples collected from traditional farms in the Banat region of western Romania. Methods: Coagulase-positive staphylococci (CPS) were enumerated using ISO 6888-1:2021 protocols. Isolates were identified at the species level using the Vitek 2 system and molecularly confirmed via PCR targeting the 16S rDNA and nuc genes. Methicillin resistance was assessed by detecting the mecA gene. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined using the Vitek 2 AST-GP79 card. Results: CPS were detected in 69 samples, with S. aureus confirmed in 34.9%. The mecA gene was identified in 13.5% of S. aureus isolates, indicating the presence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Resistance to at least two antimicrobials was observed in 97.3% of isolates, and 33 strains (89.2%) met the criteria for multidrug resistance (MDR). The most frequent MDR phenotype involved resistance to lincomycin, macrolides, β-lactams, tetracyclines, and aminoglycosides. Conclusions: The high prevalence of S. aureus, including MRSA and MDR strains, in raw sheep milk from traditional farms represents a potential public health risk, particularly in regions where unpasteurized dairy consumption persists. These findings underscore the need for enhanced hygiene practices, prudent antimicrobial use, and AMR monitoring in small-scale dairy systems.
Keywords: S. aureus; sheep milk; antimicrobial resistance; methicillin-resistant; traditional dairy farming; Romania S. aureus; sheep milk; antimicrobial resistance; methicillin-resistant; traditional dairy farming; Romania

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MDPI and ACS Style

Roșu, R.-D.; Morar, A.; Ban-Cucerzan, A.; Imre, M.; Popa, S.A.; Pătrînjan, R.-T.; Pocinoc, A.; Imre, K. Raw Sheep Milk as a Reservoir of Multidrug-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus: Evidence from Traditional Farming Systems in Romania. Antibiotics 2025, 14, 787. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics14080787

AMA Style

Roșu R-D, Morar A, Ban-Cucerzan A, Imre M, Popa SA, Pătrînjan R-T, Pocinoc A, Imre K. Raw Sheep Milk as a Reservoir of Multidrug-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus: Evidence from Traditional Farming Systems in Romania. Antibiotics. 2025; 14(8):787. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics14080787

Chicago/Turabian Style

Roșu, Răzvan-Dragoș, Adriana Morar, Alexandra Ban-Cucerzan, Mirela Imre, Sebastian Alexandru Popa, Răzvan-Tudor Pătrînjan, Alexandra Pocinoc, and Kálmán Imre. 2025. "Raw Sheep Milk as a Reservoir of Multidrug-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus: Evidence from Traditional Farming Systems in Romania" Antibiotics 14, no. 8: 787. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics14080787

APA Style

Roșu, R.-D., Morar, A., Ban-Cucerzan, A., Imre, M., Popa, S. A., Pătrînjan, R.-T., Pocinoc, A., & Imre, K. (2025). Raw Sheep Milk as a Reservoir of Multidrug-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus: Evidence from Traditional Farming Systems in Romania. Antibiotics, 14(8), 787. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics14080787

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