Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the bacteriological quality of frozen and fresh shrimp samples by Salmonella detection and the quantification of staphylococci and coliforms. Antimicrobial susceptibility profile of staphylococci isolates was also determined. A total of 30 shrimp samples commercialized in Sobral-CE - 15 fresh and 15 frozen, each one weighing 500 g - was analyzed. There was no contamination by Salmonella and/or coliform, but the Staphylococcus quantification showed that 12 samples (80.0%) of the frozen and 10 (66.7%) of the fresh shrimp presented a bacterial load above 3.0 log₁₀ CFU g^-1 - a limit recommended by the current legislation in Brazil. 17 drug-resistant staphylococci strains were isolated, and the following antimicrobial resistance profiles were detected: monoresistance (n=4), cross-resistance to beta-lactam (n=4), and multidrug resistance to: Oxacillin+ampicillin+tetracycline (n=1), oxacillin+tetracycline+ penicillin+chloramphenicol+vancomycin (n=1). The findings indicate that frozen and fresh shrimps may act as vehicles for the spread of staphylococci resistant to drugs of clinical interest.

Key words: Enterobacteria, Staphylococcus drug-resistant, shrimp.