Purpose: This study was undertaken to determine the presence of Salmonella enterica and seven different Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coliserogroups (STEC) in retail meat samples collected in urban and rural areas of Costa Rica.
Methods: Seventy-seven retail meat establishments (57 urban, 20 rural) were visited. Three non-visceral beef cuts were purchased at every store and each piece was swabbed individually with a sterile sponge. An FSIS-approved PCR protocol was used to assess the presence of S. entericaand STEC serogroups O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, O145, and O157 using the DuPont Qualicon BAX® System.
Results: S. enterica prevalence was 1.7% (4/231), of which three samples were collected in urban settings and one in rural areas, whereas STEC were deemed positive in 4.8% of the samples (11/231), six in urban stores and five in rural ones. Among the 11 STEC positive samples, 37 serogroup-specific markers were detected and included markers for O45, O121, and O103 were the most prevalent, with frequencies of 11/37 (29.7%), 8/37 (21.6%), and 7/37 (18.9%), respectively. Both O26 and O145 serogroups were present at 16.2% (6/37), while no O111 or O157 serogroups were detected.
Significance: The results of this study help fill the knowledge void regarding occurrence of pathogenic microorganisms in meat products in Costa Rica. These data can help prioritize food safety policies, interventions, and control measures in Costa Rica.