Antibiotic Resistance equivalent risk to terrorism

I always thought the meat link was only if you became infected with a foodborne illness from the meat, which had become resistant to the antibiotic used to treat that illness in humans? Foodborne illnesses are in decline, as long as you cook the meat properly and wash your hands when handling it raw you are generally pretty safe. Not saying it's not an issue, it obviously can be, but it is the bacteria in the meat that is the problem and that doesn't affect how your body treats other pathogens transferred by touch or even airborne.

Assuming of course it is not a cross species pathogen that affects livestock as well as humans, in which case you have a problem!

I think the implication is that the widespread use in agriculture is caused by the requirements of the meat production industry. This results in a general exposure in the environment, resulting in a steady increase in resistance.

I also wonder about under-prescribing - it seems to me that this can also result in a resistant strain being encouraged.

So its more the bacteria that do affect humans becoming resistant to the antibiotics because they have already been exposed to the antibiotics through livestock? Showing a massive lack of understanding here, as I had no idea the same antibiotics were used in animals as in humans!

A general view - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-21739378 - we already have big problems with resistant TB, for example.

I believe that some countries have a fashion to use two antibiotics at the same time, as resistance to both seems less likely to occur at the same time..

The last third of today's Farming Today - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01r5lmg - was about antibiotics in agriculture.

henryscat said:

Might have a listen to that.

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From what I can remember, the anti-side was represented by Zak Goldsmith and the pro-side by a 'leave it to the professionals' vet - you may be a bit disappointed.

tek-monkey said:

So its more the bacteria that do affect humans becoming resistant to the antibiotics because they have already been exposed to the antibiotics through livestock? Showing a massive lack of understanding here, as I had no idea the same antibiotics were used in animals as in humans!

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Most drugs that are used in human medicine are also used in veterinary medicine, especially anti-biotics. There are only a few that aren't used for both species!

It is not so much that bacteria becomes resistant to anti-biotics because humans eat meat that has previously been treated with these drugs, as anti-biotics have a relatively short half-life (time before they are metabolised & excreted by the kidneys or liver) and I don't believe you are allowed to slaughter an animal recently taking such drugs (at least not for human consumption).

The same bacteria that affects humans also tends to affect animals, and vets tend to prescribe anti-biotics wily nily for sick animals, resulting in the bacteria becoming resistant to a range of drugs and then being passed from animal to farmer to farmers daughter to school classroom to rest of population etc.

Veggies are as at risk from this as anyone I'm afraid. It is definitely a much bigger threat than terrorism and there is no money to be made in anti-biotic research so the situation will get much worse.