Isolation and Identification of Staphylococcus aureus from Fresh Fish (Clarias gariepinus) Sold at Evening Markets in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria.

Fish provides a major source of income and food for man. Preparation and handling of fish by sellers, buyers and consumers can expose fish to infection by Staphylococcus aureus, an opportunistic pathogen. Samples obtained from market sellers were prepared and cultured on nutrient agar and mannitol salt agar and subjected to biochemical tests and molecular identification. Total bacterial count was within the range of 4.0 x 108 to 1.03 x 108 CFU/g. The differences in bacterial growth observed on nutrient agar and mannitol salt agar was significant at p(0.05), r = 0.529. The biochemical tests of isolated organisms showed that 2 of 10 isolated organisms are Gram positive, Coagulase positive and Catalase positive Staphylococcus aureus. Molecular identification using PCR assay showed a match with Staphylococcus aureus strain IJA899. The presence of this bacterium is of serious public health significance. A high degree of hygienic practices is recommended for both buyers and sellers to prevent potential cases of Staphylococcal food poisoning. Enforcement of standard hygienic practices is important to minimize food safety risks. The study provides critical baseline of risks associated with evening markets and indicate areas requiring sanitary interventions.