Staphylococcus aureus is a major food-borne pathogen worldwide and a frequent contaminant of foodstuffs where some strains are able to produce staphylococcal enterotoxins (SE). Consumption of foods containing these SEs is responsible for staphylococcal food poisoning (SFP) outbreaks. Milk and milk products are foodstuffs commonly associated with SFP. Typical SFP symptoms are vomiting with or without diarrhoea and abdominal cramping which reduce after 12 to 72 h. Despite extensive studies, the mechanistic base of SE production is still poorly understood but appears to be quite heterogeneous among the 21 different SEs identified to date. In this review, recent data regarding S. aureus and SE detection and quantification in dairy products as well as data about S. aureus growth and SE production with regard to parameters relevant for the dairy context and the cheese industry have been summarized. Recent technological developments have allowed the detection of S. aureus and SEs in foodstuffs to be refined. Similarly, molecular approaches have allowed high-throughput investigations of the physiology of S. aureus and revealed the complexity of this multi-faceted problem. SFP control must indeed take account of the growth of S. aureus as well as SE production. The wealth of new available data will open up new strategies for a better risk assessment and control of this major pathogen.

摘要 金黄色葡萄球菌是主要的食源性致病菌, 经常发生由于一些葡萄球菌产生的肠毒素 (SE) 污染食物原料而发生的食源性葡萄球菌肠毒素中毒事件。乳和乳制品往往与葡萄球菌肠毒素中毒密切相关。葡萄球菌肠毒素中毒的症状是呕吐, 部分病例会出现腹泻和腹部绞痛, 一般12-72h后症状减轻。尽管对这方面已经进行过深入的研究, 但是葡萄球菌肠毒素中毒的机制还是不十分清楚。到目前为止, 已经鉴定出21种完全不同的葡萄球菌肠毒素。本文根据目前现有的文献报道, 对乳制品中金黄色葡萄球菌和葡萄球菌肠毒素的定性和定量方法, 以及在乳制品和干酪中金黄色葡萄球菌的生长和葡萄球菌肠毒素产生的因素进行了文献综述。当今的科学技术完全能够检测出食物中金黄色葡萄球菌和葡萄球菌肠毒素。同样, 分子生物学方法能够实现对金黄色葡萄球菌的生理学进行全面的研究, 并能够从不同的角度揭示出复杂生物体的性质。控制葡萄球菌肠毒素中毒首先要控制金黄色葡萄球菌的生长, 也就是控制葡萄球菌肠毒素的产生。大量的研究数据将有助于对这种致病菌进行风险评估和预防。