Arslan, SezaÖzdemir, Fatma2021-06-232021-06-2320110026-3788https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12491/7043https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-79960487982&partnerID=40&md5=9d238fd270d3ed67b3ae0d675805779fStaphylococcus aureus is one of the most important foodborne pathogens. Milk and dairy products are often contaminated with this bacterium. In the present study, the occurrence of S. aureus was determined in homemade cheese samples collected from various public bazaars. Of 200 samples examined, 135 (67.5%) were positive for S. aureus. A total of 217 S. aureus isolates from 135 contaminated cheese samples were isolated and identified. All S. aureus isolates were analyzed for production of slime, DNase and beta-lactamase and their antimicrobial resistance pattern. Sixteen strains of S. aureus isolates (7.4%) were found to be slime producers by Congo red agar method, 175 strains (80.6%) were DNase positive. Beta-lactamase producing isolates were detected in 66 (30.4%) isolates. Susceptibility of cheese isolates against 15 different antimicrobial agents was tested using disc diffusion method. S. aureus isolates had resistance to one or more antibiotics, the highest resistance to ampicillin (41%), penicillin (40.1%) and tetracycline (38.7%) among the various antimicrobial agents. A total of 25.8% of S. aureus isolates were multiresistant to three or more antimicrobial agents. S. aureus isolates recovered from cheese which have virulence factors may be important due to potential risk of foodborne transmission to the human microflora via foods.eninfo:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccessStaphylococcus Aureus (homemade cheeses, occurrence, virulence factors, antimicrobial resistance)Article6632942972-s2.0-79960487982N/AWOS:000293932000016Q4