Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria Emerge Farm Animals

Planet Earth and Green Living in Dallas-Fort Worth:

Our Environment Is Our Life!

Please sign up for free earth newsletter. Use form here

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) considers agricultural use of antibiotics for animals to be the major cause of food borne illnesses that resist treatment with antibiotics.

Routinely exposing bacteria to antibiotics allows naturally drug-resistant bacteria to survive, reproduce and spread. Consumers may be exposed to drug-resistant Salmonella, E. coli, Campylobacter and other potentially deadly bacteria through the consumption of contaminated food or untreated water.

How do strains of bacteria emerge that are resistant to these antibiotics?

Think of a cow with one billion bacteria in her system. She is treated with the antibiotic streptomycin which kills all but one of those germs. That one survivor is now immune to the drug.

It doesn't stop there, though. The immune survivor reproduces a new streptomycin-immune population. The bacteria doubles its population every twenty minutes. In only 10 hours, a new strain of bacteria grows to one billion in number.

Multiply that by 50 different antibiotics and millions of cows. It becomes clear why antibiotics no longer work when we need them.

Here is a example of antibiotics not working when we need them:

The World Health Organization (WHO) in a recent conference reiterated that conditions are "ripe" for the emergence of a virus that could trigger the next global pandemic--an avian or bird flu.

According to the top experts in the world, these bird flu scenarios are real. The head of the CDC's International Emerging Infections Program in Thailand agrees: "The world just has no idea what it's going to see if this thing comes," he said and then continued. "When, really. It's when. I don't think we can afford the luxury of the word 'if' anymore. We are past 'if's.'"

Will we be able to use antibiotics to stop this flu?

No, not according to Michael Greger, MD. Dr Greger writes, "There are a few classes of drugs, including drugs like amantidine, that work against certain viruses as well. But the present bird flu virus has already evolved resistance to this first generation of antivirals."

How?

Dr Greger continues, "The Chinese have been incorporating amantadine in their chicken feed, so we have lost that as a treatment."

Is there anything else that will work?

Dr Greger answers, "Scientists are pinning their hopes on oseltamavir (also known as Tamiflu), the best prospect in the latest generation of antiflu drugs. Unfortunately, there is not enough to go around. Made from star anise, a plant in limited global supply, there is now a two-year waiting list for new orders."

Remodel Your Home
to be GREEN!

Life in an Ecovillage:
Is Ecohousing for you?
More information
here.

About Green Building
and Energy Efficient
Homes in DFW

Renewable Energy
in DFW
Solar Energy

Green Building
in North Texas

Earth Events

Green Building
DFW Website
and Info
Green Remodeling

Free
Earth Newsletter:
Green Living
Published by email only
Published once/twice a month in Dallas-Fort Worth

Use form here.

Includes:
Green Living:
Restaurants, Articles, Calendar with events, meetings and green building and remodeling events.

Your private information is never shared.

DFW Earth and Green Living for Dallas-Fort Worth Environmentalists.

The Organic Food Guide
A practical guide to and how organic foods are related to nutrition and health. Understand why organic foods are so important, both for our health and for our environment.

More Information

Now that we see the threats of mad cow disease and avian flu emerging, we are beginning to understand one thing. Our worldwide desire to eat inexpensive meat has given rise to a form of animal agriculture that has become a public health hazard for more than those who consume the meat.

More information about Planet Earth and Green Living.

Reprinted with permission from cyberparent.com to dfwnetmall.com.

Thanks for stopping by.
Check back often for more earth articles and information.

Transition into Organic Foods
Interested in changing your eating habits? This educational and fact-filled book is a simple read with easy to understand differences between conventional, organic, and natural foods.

More Information

Live Green!