Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Microbiology 2008-3289 6 5 2014 10 15 345 349 EN Yalda Rahbar-Saadat Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Basic and Medical Science, Islamic Azad University, Zanjan Branch, Zanjan, Iran. Abbas Ali Imani-Fooladi Applied Microbiology Research Center, Baqiyatallah University Medical of Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Reza Shapouri Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Basic and Medical Science, Islamic Azad University, Zanjan Branch, Zanjan, Iran. Mir Mohsen Hosseini Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Basic and Medical Science, Islamic Azad University, Zanjan Branch, Zanjan, Iran. Zahra Deilami-Khiabani Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Basic and Medical Science, Islamic Azad University, Zanjan Branch, Zanjan, Iran. 2015 10 16 Background and Objectives: Staphylococcal food poisoning is a gastrointestinal disease, which is caused by consumption of contaminated food with enterotoxins produced by Staphylococcus aureus (SEs). Milk and its products are known sources of food borne diseases. This study was carried out to evaluate the prevalence of enterotoxigenic S. aureus strains in organic milk and cheese in Tabriz - Iran. Materials and Methods: A total of 200 samples (100 milk samples and 100 cheese samples) were collected from farms and milk collection points in Tabriz - Iran. The samples were cultured and identified by standard bacteriological methods, then PCR was performed to detect sea gene. Results and Conclusion: Staphylococcus aureus was found in 27% of all samples (milk and cheese). Results of PCR showed that 12.96% of S. aureus isolates possessed sea gene. It suggested the potential public health threat of S. aureus resulting from contamination of dairy products. So, efforts are required to improve safety standards for preventing staphylococcal food poisoning. https://ijm.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijm/article/view/373 https://ijm.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijm/article/download/373/150