Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamases (ESBLs) are actually enzymes produced by certain types of bacteria, which renders the bacteria resistant to the antibiotics commonly used to treat them.
ESBLs were first discovered in the mid-1980s. At the time they were mostly found in the Klebsiella species of bacteria, in hospital intensive care units. Until recently, few people were affected by these mutated bacteria and it didnt appear to be a major growing concern.
That has changed, however. According to the British Health Protection Agency (HPA), a new class of ESBL (called CTX-M enzymes) has emerged, which are now being widely detected among E.Coli bacteria. These ESBL-producing E. Coli are resistant to penicillins and cephalosporins, and are becoming more frequent in urinary tract infections.
Other species of bacteria that can now produce ESBLs include:
K. pneumoniae K. oxytoca Salmonella Proteus mirabilis Pseudomonas aeruginosa The Problem is Worse Than You Think!
According to a study published October 2007 in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), there were close to 100,000 cases of invasive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections in the United States in 2005, which lead to more than 18,600 deaths.
To put that number into perspective, HIV/AIDS killed 17,000 people that year.
Antibiotic-resistant disease IS a major man-made problem.
This was the study that propelled MRSA into the news last year, combined with a number of school outbreaks that took place around the same time. Discussions focused largely on reducing medical over-use of antibiotics, and proper hygiene such as washing your hands with soap and water to reduce the spread of infectious disease.
But little has been said about the rampant over-use of antibiotics in agriculture, which is a MAJOR source of human antibiotic consumption, and hence increased antibiotic resistance.
Agriculture as a Source of Antibiotic Resistance
Both MRSA and ESBL are being traced back to animals raised for food production, especially pigs.
These animals are often fed antibiotics at low doses for disease prevention and growth promotion. Animals receiving antibiotics in their feed gain 4 to 5 percent more body weight than animals that do not receive antibiotics, but the price is high for you, the end consumer, because this practice also creates the perfect conditions for antibiotic resistance to flourish.
Denmarks health officials claim theyre unsure of how farmers and veterinarians, who have not consumed infected meat, are becoming infected. However, according to research cited on Johns Hopkins website, the main reservoir of these organisms is in the lower digestive tract, and they can persist within the gastrointestinal tract for months. So perhaps the answer doesnt have to be all that complicated.
So, the meat industry practice of using antibiotics is indeed a driving force behind the development of antibiotic resistance in a now wide variety of bacteria that cause human disease.
The long stalemate on this issue constitutes a struggle between strong science and bad politics. The FDA finally banned the use of fluoroquinolones - a widely used class of antimicrobials -- from agricultural use August 1997, but not without the Bayer Corporation kicking and screaming in vehement opposition. After all, antibiotics for livestock use is big business. It constitutes about 70 percent of ALL antibiotic use! They couldnt replace that market with human consumers even if they tried.
Other Agricultural Sources of Antibiotics
Another heavily tainted meat product you should stay away from is conventionally raised chicken. A 2006 study published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases found that bacteria from conventional chicken and from people who ate the chicken became resistant to Synercid, a strong antibiotic used to treat antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In essence, it can cause resistance to the last lines of defense currently available in the modern medicine cabinet.
It also found that it was rare to find resistant bacteria among antibiotic-free chicken, while the majority of bacterial isolates from conventional poultry were resistant.
But, the ramifications of using antibiotics in agriculture dont end there. Antibiotics filter down through the food chain in sometimes non-suspecting ways.
Antibiotics are also being transferred, via manure, into your food supply.
A 2007 study in the Journal of Environmental Quality looked at whether food crops will accumulate antibiotics from soil covered with antibiotic-containing manure.
In a greenhouse setting, corn, lettuce and potatoes were grown on soil that contained hog manure with a commonly used veterinary antibiotic added.
The antibiotics were absorbed by all three crops, into both their leaves and tissue. Meanwhile, the antibiotics also transferred to the potato tubers, suggesting that root crops like carrots, radishes and potatoes may be particularly at risk of antibiotic accumulation.
These findings unfortunately also have implications for organic farmers, who often use manure as their main source of fertilizer. And, as it stands, manure that contains antibiotics is still allowed under the organic label.
How to Avoid Excessive Antibiotic Exposure
So how can you ensure that the food you feed to yourself and your family is pure and healthy?
Apart from growing it yourself, your best option is to get to know a local farmer near you -- one who uses non-toxic farming methods. If you live in an urban area, there are increasing numbers of community-supported agriculture programs available that give you access to healthy, locally grown foods even if you live in the heart of the city.
If you are looking for a safer alternative to commercially raised beef please be sure to check out grass-fed beef. Grass-fed cattle are not routinely fed antibiotics. They may occasionally receive them for an infection, but that would be the rare exception, and even then they are only used for a few days.
===== Natural is best, organic superior, and to learn how to undo the negative effects already suffered you, visit: www.allinonehealth.com
Since its discovery in 1928 by the Scottish scientist named Sir Ian Fleming, doctors have been prescribing penicillin to patients for the cure of everything from minor infections to life-threatening diseases. In medical terms, penicillin is classified as an antibiotic. An antibiotic is a chemical compound that inhibits or abolishes the growth of microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, or protozoa. Over 100 different antibiotics are now available in the market. Although antibiotics are useful in a wide variety of infections, it is important to note that antibiotics only treat bacterial infections. Perhaps, if he were alive today, it would surprise Sir Fleming to discover that the organisms that were wiped out by the first generation of penicillin that he developed had somehow made a comeback. Through research and disease surveillance, doctors and researchers have found that certain organisms were able to evolve and adapt defenses to some antibiotics. Once thought to have been ?conquered? by penicillin, some strains of germs and other harmful organisms have become resistant to antibiotic. These organisms on the rebound have been called by scientists and other experts from the medical community as ?superbugs.? Antibiotic resistance is the ability of a microorganism to withstand the effects of an antibiotic. It is a specific type of drug resistance. Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria change and adapt to the action or chemical effects of a drug that is designed to cure or prevent infections. Once the bacteria adapts and survives the onslaught of the drug, it is able to develop resistance and continue its harmful reproduction inside a host. MRSA or Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus is one among a number of organisms that have been found to be resistant to commonly used antibiotics. It is classified as a staph bacteria that triggers infections that could worsen into a life-threatening condition. Methicillin was an antibiotic used many years ago to treat patients with Staphylococcus Aureus infections. However, today, it is no longer used except as a means of identifying this particular type of antibiotic resistance. Experts say that the MRSA superbug can cause pneumonia and serious bone and skin infections. It had already claimed the lives of infected children who did not receive adequate medication and health care. It also been reported that MRSA can rapidly multiply and infect people in close physical contact with other people. People who are frequently in crowded places like day care centers, prison cells, and other cramped areas are at high risk for infections. An individual could become a carrier of MRSA in the same way that they can become a carrier of ordinary Staphylococcus aureus. Infection is spread through physical contact with an infection person. If the infectious organism is on the skin, then it can also be passed around via skin-to-skin contact. If the organism is in the nose or has infected the lungs, it may be spread via droplets spread from the mouth and nose during sneezing or contact with an infected person's saliva. Resistance of infectious organisms can be tested through the use clinical implements and chemicals. This test is usually done over a period of two to three days to determine the level of resistance of an organism to antibiotics. Superbugs organisms are often associated with patients in hospitals but can also be found on patients not in a hospital. It is not necessary to do anything about MRSA organisms. However, if these superbugs are passed on to someone who is already ill, then a more serious infection may occur to that person. When patients with MRSA are discovered in a hospital, the hospital will usually try to prevent it from passing around to other patients. This measure is known as infection control. The type of infection control or isolation required for any patient depends on the organism. It usually rests on where the organisms is found on an individual and the patient. Contact Isolation is the most important type of isolation required for MRSA. This requires everyone in contact with the patient to be very careful about hand washing after touching either the patient or anything that came to contact with the patient. Cleaning of surfaces are also important since dust and surfaces can become contaminated with the organism. This is usually done when the patient leaves the hospital. However, though it seems like these superbugs are extremely powerful, if a patient is given multiple antibiotics, they can be fought off. One of the lifesaving drugs that is said to combat MRSA is vancomycin. Vancomycin has been reserved by hospitals as the drug of last resort. Experts said that this medicine may cause some serious side effects, including damage to your hearing and kidneys. Though vancomycin has its own side effects, it can at least fight those superbugs away.
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Ben Needles has sinced written about articles on various topics from Business Credit Cards, Anger Control and Business Credit Cards. About the Author (text)Dr. Suzanne Gudakunst, Inc and Ask Dr Suzanne, Inc4400 North Scottsdale Road # 9372, Scottsdale, AZ 85251. Ben Needles's top article generates over 550000 views. to your Favourites.
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