Identificación de Staphylococcus aureus en pescado fresco "Albacora" (thunnus alalunga) en mercados de la ciudad de Cuenca – Ecuador.

Abstract

Introduction Albacore (Thunnus alalunga) is a species of fish that is used as food mainly because of its nutritional composition. However, being a marine product, it is caught by hand, and due to its commercialization and storage at room temperature, it can be contaminated with harmful microorganisms, especially Staphylococcus aureus. Objective. To determine the presence of Staphylococcus aureus in Albacore from different markets in Cuenca - Ecuador. Methodology. A descriptive observational study, cross-sectional. A non-probabilistic convenience sampling was conducted to obtain 20 samples of Albacore. Results. The presence of Staphylococcus aureus of 79% was determined in the 20 samples collected. Conclusion. Staphylococcus aureus was evidenced in the specimens from Albacore sold in street stalls; this may be due to the lack of hygiene and an inadequate handling procedure.