الفهرس 
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Abstract
In this study, a total of 250 table eggs samples (75 Baladi hen ҆s, 75 white farm hen ҆s, 75 brown farm hen ҆s and 25 duck eggs samples) were collected randomly from poultry farms, groceries, supermarkets and street vendors in El Fayoum city, Egypt. Each Baladi hen’s egg sample is represented by five eggs, while each farm hen ҆s and duck egg sample is represented by three eggs (The total examined table eggs were 900 eggs). The samples were analysed for the presence of coliforms, faecal coliforms, E. coli, E. coli O157: H7, Shiga like toxin genes 1&2, Salmonella typhimurium, Yersinia enterocolitica, Staphylococcus spp., coagulase positive S. aureus and staphylococcal enterotoxins (Ses) genes.
1. Coliform counts:
Coliforms were found in 19 (25.33%) of Baladi hens҆ eggshells samples with a mean count of 1.34×10 CFU ̸ ml, while coliforms were detected in 4 (5.33%) of Baladi hens ҆egg contents with a mean count of 6 CFU ̸ ml. Four(5.33%) of the examined white poultry farms ҆ eggshells were contaminated with coliforms with a mean count of 1.03×10 CFU ̸ ml, while one (1.33%) of the examined brown poultry farms ҆eggshells were contaminated with coliforms with a mean count of 7 CFU ̸ ml, while coliforms couldn’t be detected from all samples of poultry farms ҆ egg contents. Concerning duck egg samples, coliforms were found in 11 (44%) of ducks ҆eggshells samples with a mean count of 5.03×10 CFU ̸ ml, while coliforms were detected in 2 (8 %) of ducks ҆egg contents with a mean count of 8 CFU ̸ ml.
2. Faecal coliform count:
Faecal coliforms were found in 6 (8%) of Baladi hens ҆ eggshells samples with a mean count of 6.7 CFU ̸ ml and were found in 2 (2.7%) of white poultry farms ҆ eggshells samples with a mean count of 5.5 CFU ̸ ml. However, no faecal coliforms were detected in brown poultry farms ҆ eggshells, whereas 5(20%) of the examined ducks ҆ eggshells samples were contaminated with faecal coliforms with a mean count of 12.6 CFU ̸ ml. On the other hand, faecal coliforms couldn’t be detected from all examined content samples of Baladi hens҆, poultry farms҆, and ducks ҆eggs.
3. E. coli count:
E. coli was found in Baladi hens’ eggshells at an incidence of two (2.7%) with a mean count of 8 CFU ̸ ml, but only one (1.3%) E. coli isolate was found in white poultry farm ҆s eggshell sample with a mean count of 7 CFU ̸ ml, while E. coli was detected in two (8%) of examined ducks ҆ eggshells samples with a mean count of 2.15×10 CFU ̸ ml. On the other hand, E. coli couldn’t be found in brown poultry farms ҆ eggshells and all examined content samples of Baladi hens҆, poultry farms҆, and ducks ҆ eggs.
4. Shiga-like toxins (Stx1 & Stx2) from the recovered E. coli strains:
Stx1 was found in one Baladi hen’s eggshell sample, and Stx2 was detected in one duck ҆ s eggshell.
5. Isolation of Salmonella typhimurium:
Only one (4%) isolate was identified as S. typhimurium, which was isolated from a duck ҆s eggshell sample, while S. typhimurium couldn’t be detected in Baladi hens ҆ and poultry farms ҆ eggshells and contents samples. Also no S. typhimurium was found in ducks҆ egg contents samples.
6. Isolation of Yersinia enterocolitica:
Y. enterocolitica was not found in all of the tested samples.
7. Isolation of Staphylococcus spp. and coagulase positive S. aureus:
It was noted that Staphylococcus spp. isolates were detected in 18 (24%) and 6(8%) of Baladi hens ҆ eggs shells and contents, respectively, while coagulase positive S. aureus was isolated from 3(16.7%) and 0(0%) of Baladi hens ҆ eggs shells and contents, respectively.
Staphylococcus spp. isolates were found in 7(9.3%) – 2(2.7%) and 4(5.3%) – 1(1.3%) of white and brown poultry farms ҆ eggs shells and contents, respectively, while 1(14.3%) of white poultry farms ҆ eggs shells were contaminated with S. aureus. Although, no S. aureus was detected in brown poultry farms ҆ shells, white and brown poultry farms ҆ eggs contents.
Staphylococcus spp. isolates were reported in 11(44%) of the examined ducks ҆ eggshells samples and 3(12%) of ducks ҆ egg contents. S. aureus were found in 2(18.2%) and 1(33.3%) of the examined ducks ҆ egg shells and contents, respectively.
All the isolated S. aureus strains were positive for Coa gene.
8. Staphylococcal enterotoxin genes:
Using PCR, two classical enterotoxin genes (Seb and Sed) were detected in Baladi hens’eggshells and ducks ҆ egg contents in percentages 28.6 and 14.3%, respectively. Two isolates of coagulase positive S. aureus recovered from Baladi hens’eggshells have Seb gene in percentage of 28.6%, but don’t have other genes and one isolate was negative for all Ses genes, while one S. aureus isolate recovered from white poultry farms ҆eggshells was negative for all Ses genes. Concerning to ducks ҆eggs, one coagulase positive S. aureus isolate recovered from ducks ҆egg contents has Sed gene in percentage of 14.3%, but two isolates recovered from ducks ҆eggshell were negative for all Ses genes.
The potential health hazards and the suggestive control measures for the isolated strains were discussed to protect the consumers, and to produce high quality eggs.