Drug Resistant Bacteria: Annotated Sources

It is common knowledge that non-organic meats that we find in the super market were treated with some kind of antibiotic or steroids, but they seem to taste exactly the same so what is the harm in saving some money on meat and buying the non-organic kind? Well research studies done by science institutions around the world suggest that more than just some steroids and antibiotics could be in that meat. The meat industry's practice of altering their animals to produce more meat has opened the door to new dangerous bacterias that are resistant to antibiotics. Deadly bacterias that are resistant to antibiotics means that should they make their way into the consumer's body, they will not be killed by much of our modern day medicines, allowing the bacteria to run wild in our bodies and possibly kill a person if it is not killed first.

Sources:

Drug-resistant Salmonella from animals fed antimicrobials
The New England Journal of Medicine

Notes: Despite the technical jargon, this piece is very informative about the specific types of dangerous bacteria that is becoming resistant to antibiotics because of pesticides. Even more importantly this journal describes how the bacteria is doing it and projections of future abilities to do so.

Abstract: It has been difficult to document the postulated sequence of events that begins with the selection of drug-resistant organisms in animals fed subtherapeutic amounts of antimicrobials and ends with clinically important infections in human beings. In early 1983 we identified 18 persons in four Midwestern states who were infected with Salmonella newport that was resistant to ampicillin, carbenicillin, and tetracycline and characterized by a 38-kilobase R plasmid. Twelve of these patients had been taking penicillin derivatives for medical problems other than diarrhea in the 24 to 48 hours before the onset of salmonellosis. Eleven patients were hospitalized for salmonellosis for an average of eight days, and one had a fatal nosocomial infection. We compared plasmid profiles of all human (six-state area) and animal (United States) S. newport isolates over an 18-month period and examined selected records of meat distribution. The results indicated that the patients had been infected before they took antimicrobials, by eating hamburger originating from South Dakota beef cattle fed subtherapeutic chlortetracycline for growth promotion. This study demonstrates that antimicrobial-resistant organisms of animal origin cause serious human illness, and emphasizes the need for more prudent use of antimicrobials in both human beings and animals.

Citation: SD Holmberg, MT Osterholm, KA Senger, and ML Cohen
Drug-resistant Salmonella from animals fed antimicrobials
N. Engl. J. Med., Sep 1984; 311: 617 - 622.

Website: http://www.sciencemag.org/searchall/all.gca.dtl?allch=&SEARCHID=1&FULLTEXT=Drug-resistant+meat&FIRSTINDEX=0&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&gca=nejm%3B311%2F10%2F617

Occurrence and resistance to antibiotics of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli in animals and meat in northeastern Italy
Elsevier Science B.V.

Notes: This article shows the wide spread applicability to the topic. In short this doesn’t just happen in America, it is how the system works. This article must be purchased. Currently working on means of retrieving the article with out buying it but so far out look is not promising. Still looking for studies as well done and credible that are free but it has also been a seemingly futile pursuit.

Abstract: A study was carried out in northeastern Italy during 2000 and 2001 to investigate the occurrence of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli in animals, cattle, pigs, and broilers, and raw meat, beef, pork, and chicken. Campylobacter spp. were detected in 53.9% of the cattle, 63.5% of the pigs, and 82.9% of the broilers examined. Chicken meat was frequently contaminated (81.3%), while lower rates were found in pork meat (10.3%) and beef (1.3%). The resistance to antibiotics of the strains was also investigated, and compared to that of human clinical isolates. C. coli was generally more resistant than C. jejuni. Resistance to quinolones was frequently observed in C. coli isolated in chicken meat (78.6%); slightly lower rates were found in C. jejuni isolated in broilers (42.2%), chicken meat (52.8%), and humans (38.2%). C. coli was also frequently resistant to tetracycline in all sources, while resistance to streptomycin was most frequently observed in pig isolates (89.4%).

Citation: “MAMA-PCR assay for the detection of point mutations associated with high-level erythromycin resistance in Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli strains”, Journal of Microbiological Methods, Volume 63, Issue 1, October 2005, Pages 99-103, Rodrigo Alonso, Estibaliz Mateo, Estibaliz Churruca, Irati Martinez, Cecilia Girbau, Aurora Fernández-Astorga

Website: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T7K-46JYMFP-2&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1174157819&_rerunOrigin=scholar.google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=47f8586e526e4366b1ba46dac102c8fe#aff1

Drug-resistant infections lurk in meat we eat
MSNBC

Notes: The depth and scientific evidence is lacking, but this is a good source of an example. A man was stabbed by his animal (treated with antibiotics and such) and his wound would not heal with easy measures of medicine because the bacteria would not die. The implications of this super bacteria could have the most detrimental effects on the ones who make our meat, meaning the humanity could be taken out of the meat process if things get too out of hand.

Citation: MASON, MARGIE, and MARTHA MENDOZA. "Drug-resistant infections lurk in meat we eat." MSNBC. Associated Press, 29 Dec. 2009. Web. 20 Jan. 2010. .

Website: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34614380/