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Abstract
Background: Food safety remains a global public health concern with street-vended foods posing significant risks due to poor hygiene practices and inadequate knowledge among vendors. This study addressed the research question: What is the level of knowledge, attitude, and hygienic practices (KAP) of grilled fish vendors, and how does this relate to microbial contamination and antimicrobial resistance patterns of Staphylococcus aureus?
Objectives: To assess the KAP of grilled tilapia vendors, determine the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of S. aureus in grilled fish, and evaluate the reliability of cefoxitin disc diffusion compared with PCR for detecting methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Methodology: A cross-sectional study involving 32 grilled tilapia vendors was conducted using structured questionnaires to assess KAP. Bacteriological analysis of fish samples was performed on Mannitol Salt Agar to isolate S. aureus. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was carried out, and PCR was used to detect the mecA gene in cefoxitin-resistant isolates. Key Findings: While 81.3% of vendors had adequate knowledge, 87.5% demonstrated positive attitudes, and 75% practiced good hygiene, these were not significantly associated with reduced microbial loads, which exceeded acceptable limits (≤4.0 log₁₀ CFU/g). Marital status (P = 0.006) was the only socio-demographic factor significantly associated with KAP. S. aureus prevalence was 62.5%, with high resistance to tetracycline (68.8%) and cefoxitin (65.6%), but high susceptibility to gentamicin (96.9%) and ciprofloxacin (93.8%). Among 20 cefoxitin-resistant isolates, 95% carried the mecA gene, confirming MRSA. Cefoxitin disc diffusion showed strong agreement with PCR, supporting its use in resource-limited settings. Implications/Applications: The findings highlight the urgent need for targeted training of food vendors, routine monitoring of microbial contamination, and strict enforcement of food safety regulations. Additionally, cefoxitin disc diffusion may serve as a cost-effective alternative for MRSA detection where molecular tools are inaccessible.
Keywords: Food safety, MRSA, Antibiotics, Grilled fish, PCR