The aim of this study was to identify Staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) by ELISA in raw milk samples marketed in Kayseri, and to detect S. aures isolates having enterotoxin genes using mPCR method in raw milk samples.

Sixty out of 100 raw milk samples (60%) were identified with Staphylococcus spp. 42 out of 300 isolates (14%) studied were identified as S. aures using catalase and coagulase tests. The presence of Staphylococcal enterotoxin genes was identified in 31 out of 42 S. aureus isolates (73.8%) by using mPCR method. It was determined that these enterotoxins contained 12 (38.7%) sea, 2 (6.5%) seb, 5 (16.1%) sec, 10 (32.3 %) sed ve 2 (6.5%) both sea and sed gene distribution, respectively. The presence of SEs was identified in 28 out of 42 raw milk samples (66.6%) by using ELISA technique. It was determined that these SEs had 10 (35.7%) SEA, 2 (7.1 %) SEB, 5 (17.8 %) SEC, 9 (32.2%) SED ve 2 (7.1%) both SEA and SED distribution, respectively. No SEs was identified in raw milk samples without S. aureus.

In this study, the presence of S. aureus and their enterotoxins were effective in raw milk retailed in Kayseri and vicinity and it was concluded that these toxins should not be ignored for public health.