Abstract
Background: This study was conducted to investigate the presence of Bacillus cereus in meat, meat products and some seafood in Libya. Materials and Methods: A hundred and thirty one samples were collected from different geographic localities in Libya. The samples were subjected to microbiological analysis for enumeration and isolation of B. cereus by conventional cultural, biochemical and molecular identification by using PCR and partial sequencing of 16S rDNA techniques. Results: Out of 131 samples, only 38 (29%) isolates were found to be B. cereus based on their cultural characteristics on MYP medium, that included 30% beef, 38.2% beef products (minced, burger, kabab and sausage), 31.8% camel meat and 48% chicken products (burger, sausage, kabab and liver). However, B. cereus was not detected from mutton and seafood samples. Seventeen isolates were subjected to molecular identification by using PCR and partial sequencing of 16S rDNA technique and confirmed to be B. cereus. The confirmed B. cereus strains tested for their antibiotic sensitivity profiles and showed high percentage of multi-resistance phenotype. Conclusions: The results provide better understanding of B. cereus isolated from food of animal origin in Libya and suggest that meat and meat products might play an important role in the spreading of B. cereus through the food chain with antimicrobial resistance characteristics.