According to The Washington Post, a Pennsylvania
woman has been infected with a strain of bacteria resistant to an antibiotic “of
last resort.
woman has been infected with a strain of bacteria resistant to an antibiotic “of
last resort.
This is the first infection of its kind in the United
States. “Defense Department researchers determined that she carried a strain
of E. coli resistant
to the antibiotic colistin, the article states. Colistin is a drug of last
resort for particularly dangerous types of bacteria.
States. “Defense Department researchers determined that she carried a strain
of E. coli resistant
to the antibiotic colistin, the article states. Colistin is a drug of last
resort for particularly dangerous types of bacteria.
Health officials say that the strain found in this woman can
be treated with other antibiotics and is not cause for panic. They worry,
however, that its colistin-resistant gene will spread to deadly bacteria that
are already resistant to other antibiotics.
be treated with other antibiotics and is not cause for panic. They worry,
however, that its colistin-resistant gene will spread to deadly bacteria that
are already resistant to other antibiotics.
This superbug has surfaced before. In November, Chinese and
British researchers reported the colistin-resistant strain in pigs, raw pork,
and a few people in China. The deadly strain later emerged in Europe and
elsewhere.
British researchers reported the colistin-resistant strain in pigs, raw pork,
and a few people in China. The deadly strain later emerged in Europe and
elsewhere.
CDC director Tom Frieden stated on Thursday:
It basically shows us that the end
of the road isn’t very far away for antibiotics—that we may be in a situation
where we have patients in our intensive care units, or patients getting
urinary-tract infections for which we do not have antibiotics.
Just last year, Mother Jones highlighted a study
that predicted 10 million people would die a year from antibiotic-resistant
infections by 2050.
that predicted 10 million people would die a year from antibiotic-resistant
infections by 2050.
So why are antibiotics no longer working? According to the
article, factory farming is to blame:
article, factory farming is to blame:
As antibiotic use skyrockets, experts
expect that germs will evolve to resist them. That’s scary, considering that
some of the same drugs we use on livestock are also our best defense against
infections in humans. And superbugs, several recent studies have shown, can and
do jump from animals to people.
In September, a strain of antibiotic-resistant
salmonella was discovered in pork from Washington state farms. Salmonella
leads to more hospitalizations and deaths than any other foodborne illness,
sickening more than 1 million people each year. In fact, the salmonella
infection rate in people has risen 44 percent in just the past decade.
salmonella was discovered in pork from Washington state farms. Salmonella
leads to more hospitalizations and deaths than any other foodborne illness,
sickening more than 1 million people each year. In fact, the salmonella
infection rate in people has risen 44 percent in just the past decade.
Is it any wonder that cramped, filthy factory farm
conditions are breeding grounds for disease?
conditions are breeding grounds for disease?
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