Incidence of some pathogenic organisms in kareish chees

One hundred and twenty-five random samples ofKareish cheese were collected from different localities inGiza City. The collected samples were examined chemically for determination of acidity % and sodiumchloride content and bacteriologically for incidence and count of staphylococci, enterococci and salmonellae.The mean value of acidity % in the Kareish sampleswas 0.32 %. While, the mean sodium chloride % was5.37%. Bacteriological examination revealed thatStaphylococci could be detected in 52 % of examinedsamples in a count/ g ranging from 100 to 3.3 X 104 witha mean value of 3.17 X 103. The highest frequency distribution (52.31 %) lies within the range 102-103. 120out of 147 Staph. aureus strains (81.63%) isolated fromthe examined samples were coagulase positive, while 102(69.39%) were thermonuclease positive.Enterococci were detected in 89.8 % of the examined samples, with a mean count/g of 2.29 X 107.Strept.jaecium, Strept. faecalis var faecalis, Strept.faecalis var.liquefaciens and Strept. faecalis varzymogenes, were detected in 77.89%,17.115,3.16% and1.84 % of 380 isolated strains, respectively.