The British Health Protection Agency (HPA), reports a new strain of ESBL (called CTX-M enzymes)has been discovered, and is now being widely detected among E.Coli bacteria.These ESBL- producing E. Coli demonstrate resistance to penicillins and cephalosporins, and show up more frequently in urinary tract infections.

It is now known that other species of bacteria can produce ESBLs. Among them the following: K.pneumoniae; K.oxytoca; Proteus mirabilis; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; and Salmonella

A study published October 2007 in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA),reported approximately 100,000 cases of invasive Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) infections in the United States in 2005, which ultimately caused more than 18,600 deaths.

That’s even more than the HIV/AIDS virus,which killed 17,000 people that year.

This study brought MRSA to the attention of the media last year.Discussions focused on reducing medical over-use of antibiotics, and standard hygiene such as washing our hands regularly to counteract the spread of this infectious disease.

Not much has been reported about over-use of antibiotics in agriculture- a major source of human antibiotic consumption, and hence increased antibiotic resistance.

Agriculture as a Source of Antibiotic Resistance:

Both MRSA and ESBL can be traced back to livestock raised for food production – particularly pigs.

These animals are regularly fed antibiotics to prevent disease and promote growth.Animals ingesting antibiotics in their feed gain four to five per cent more body weight than animals not given antibiotics. Unfortunately,this practice also creates the perfect conditions for antibiotic resistance to thrive.

The reluctance to move on this issue results from an ongoing struggle between evidence and politics.The FDA finally moved to ban the use of fluoroquinolones – a widely used class of antimicrobials — from agricultural use in August 1997,but not without protest from the Bayer Corporation. This is not surprising when we consider how big a business antibiotics for livestock use is. It accounts for about 70 percent of all antibiotic use!

Other Agricultural Sources of Antibiotics:

Another meat product to watch out for is conventionally raised chicken.But first let’s define “Conventionally Raised Chicken.”

Conventional chickens are raised in a restricted environment.As well as being cramped, this environment can often be damp and polluted with no natural ventilation,and this predisposes the chickens to stress and sickness which can spread quickly. That means they are treated with antibiotics regularly.

Conventional Chickens are ready for market after only 40+ days! The term “free range” only means that the birds are allowed access to the outdoors.But they can pick up disease there too if the area is unsanitary. It doesn’t necessarily mean that they are not treated with antibiotics, drugs or hormones and it doesn’t address the quality of food given to the chicken.They could be labeled free range and be fed anything, including GMO(genetically modified) grains, pesticide-treated grains, and even animal by – products.

A 2006 study published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases reported that bacteria from conventionally raised chicken,and people who ate the chicken,became resistant to Synercid, a strong antibiotic used to treat antibiotic-resistant bacteria.This means it can cause resistance to the remedies currently available in our medicine cabinet arsenal.

The report also found that resistant bacteria was rare among antibiotic-free chicken,while the majority of bacterial isolates from conventional poultry were resistant.

But, the effects of using antibiotics in agriculture don’t end there. Antibiotics filter down through the food chain in subtle ways.

Antibiotics are also transferred, via manure, into our food supply.

A 2007 study in the Journal of Environmental Quality investigated whether food crops would accumulate antibiotics from soil covered with antibiotic-containing manure.

The study, conducted in a greenhouse setting, showed three crops tested,(corn, lettuce and potatoes)absorbed the antibiotics into both their leaves and tissue.The antibiotics also transferred to the potato tubers(underground stems from which new plants grow), indicating that root crops such as carrots, radishes and potatoes could be particularly at risk of antibiotic accumulation.

These findings have implications for organic farmers too who often use manure as a main source of fertilizer. Manure that contains antibiotics is still allowed under the organic label.

How Can We Avoid Excessive Antibiotic Exposure?

How can we make sure that the food we feed to ourself
and our family is as safe and healthy as we would like it to be.

Apart from growing it yourself,your best option is to find a local farmer near you who uses non-toxic farming methods. If you live in an urban area, there are increasing numbers of community-supported agriculture programs becoming available that give you access to healthy, locally grown foods even if you live right in the middle of town.

If you desire a safer alternative to commercially raised beef please be sure to seek out grass-fed beef. Grass-fed cattle are not routinely fed antibiotics. They may occasionally receive them to help resist an infection, but that would be rare. And even then the antibiotics are only used for a few days.

One more thing: My in-law parents for many years owned a small farm where they raised their own grain-fed chickens and grass-fed cattle as well as their own home-grown fruits and vegetables.

The beef and chicken from their humble farm was always distinctly tastier than store-bought meats. A neighboring chicken farmer raising his chickens the conventional way had his entire stock wiped out by a disease.

My in-laws’chickens never got sick. I’ve seen both conventionally-raised and naturally-raised chickens gutted,and the most noticeable difference is the obesity around the heart of the conventionally-raised. I’ve never seen fat around the heart of a naturally-raised chicken.

It is also worth mentioning that a report in USA Today Magazine, January 19, 2004 said: “Arsenic is an approved feed supplement that farmers use to control intestinal parasites in chickens, particularly young chickens.”

Natural is always best.