First it showed up in China, then Denmark and now it has reared its ugly head in the United Kingdom. Bacteria resistant to all forms of antibiotics are making their way around the globe.
Chinese health officials announced in late November that bacteria containing the MCR-1 gene had been discovered in livestock as well as 1,322 hospitalized patients. Then, the same pathogen was discovered in Denmark when a patient in one of the nation’s hospitals was diagnosed with an untreatable form of salmonella.
The superbugs were also detected in Africa, and are believed to have traveled to Laos and Malaysia. Experts say they likely got to Britain via global travel and food imports.
The bacteria have since made their way into England on 3 farms and in samples of human infections.
The MCR-1 gene is “mobile DNA” that can be easily copied and transferred between different bacteria, making it easy for it to spread and diversify between bacterial populations, Scientific American explained in a December 19 article.
The gene makes infections resistant to all polymyxin antibiotics, including colistic, which are the last line of defense when all other antibiotics have failed. [1]
The fear is that MCR-1 could transfer to other bacteria and turn them into superbugs, too.
Experts have been warning that untreatable infections could create an “antibiotic apocalypse” that would plunge medicine back into the dark ages. Scientists said humanity was on the brink of just such an era when the drug-resistant bacteria were discovered in China, not knowing how quickly it would cross oceans and infect more animals and people.
Scientists in the U.K. say that the danger to humans is low, for now, but they also thought they had 3 more years before colistin-resistance would spread from China to England, not just a single month.
Professor Alan Johnson, from Public Health England, said:
“Our assessment is that the public health risk posed by this gene is currently considered very low, but is subject to ongoing review as more information becomes available.
The organisms identified can be killed by cooking your food properly and all the bacteria we identified with this gene were responsive to other antibiotics, called carbapenems.
We will monitor this closely, and will provide any further public advice as needed.” [2]
Out of 24,000 bacterial samples kept on record from 2012 to 2015 by Public Health England, 15 of them tested positive for colistin-resistant bacteria, including samples of salmonella and E. coli. The E. coli bacteria were also found to be resistant to cephalosporin antibiotics. The bugs were also discovered on 3 pig farms by the Animals and Plant Health Agency.
Colistin is heavily overused in livestock, namely pigs and chickens, where it is given to animals to promote growth and prevent them from getting sick. Scientists believe the MCR-1 gene has spread from farm animals to humans because it is used far more frequently in veterinary medicine than in human medicine.
Cóilín Nunan, Scientific Adviser to the Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics, said:
“‘Despite scientists saying that resistance to this last-resort antibiotic is likely to be spreading from farm animals to humans, it still remains completely legal in the UK and in most EU countries to routinely feed colistin to large groups of intensively farmed animals, even when no disease has been diagnosed in any of the animals.
We need the government, the European Commission and regulatory bodies like the Veterinary Medicines Directorate to respond urgently.
The routine preventative use in farming of colistin, and all antibiotics important in human medicine, needs to be banned immediately.”
Fortunately, colistin isn’t given to livestock in the United States, but about 80% of antibiotics sold in the U.S. go to livestock farms, and 60% of those drugs are considered crucial to human medicine. We are far from safe; the MCR-1 gene could just as easily transfer to penicillin.
Antibiotic resistance kills some 700,000 people globally every year, and that number is expected to rise to 10 million by 2050. [3]
Sources:
[2] BBC News
[3] Mother Jones
Thanks Julie for the update. Do you know if any company is working on new antibiotics?
I don’t think she will answer a moron.
Try colloidal silver, been around for quite some time.
There also have been ancient remedies rediscovered.
I’m sure your responses will be inclined in support of big pharma, because you have consistently shown your self to be a mindless fool.
Yes for a smurf look with no benefits listen to you. That was a statement by a real moron.
Dear fascist moron,
There have been many scientific studies done on colloidal silver, and research has continued into some of the ancient antibiotics. Since you are going to use an amateurs attempts at making the product and use, his failure and lack of knowledge, as a basis for any arguments. I’ll just assume your only recourse of action would involve corrupted corporate financing and research followed by their dangerous products being spoon fed to the innocent public for the bottom line of share holder profits.
Nice twist there fascist.
Name them.
Afraid of a little work there troll boy.
Get a pair and make a little effort on your own, pathetic loser.
Typical PR response, do you mind telling me who your representing?
Lol, you are so stupid. That is a newspaper article not a study. Of course you don’t know the difference. Next it briefly mentions copper not silver, but again they are both shiny and I’m sure amaze a fool like you.
Your so stupid that you think that newspaper articles aren’t information and possible representation of future scientific discoveries, I remember it was once reported in the newspaper that the advances in GE would soon be able to be used to help humanity, then out came GE insulin. Your an idiot.
Your the one looking for arguing points, which you seem pretty desperate to press, I wonder why?
Like using an idiot that turned himself blue because he cannot follow simple instructions of producing colloidal silver as an example, if you have no relevant arguing points or facts, shut up dummy.
Oh by the way she has answered me before, she is actually a good writer unlike you and Chrissy.
Does the US import meat from countries which use this antibiotic?. If it does then it’s only a matter of time before this shows up
Hey there moron, I’m not a writer, and obviously neither are you.
Reporters and journalists attempt to gather facts and present them to the public, and it can also be attributed to their moral and ethical values. The interpretation and value of the reporting then becomes the burden of the readers. Since your a fascist and openly support oppression and corporate rule, by your constant lies and insults directed at any who’s views don’t support your fantasies. Your opinions are not relevant to reality, but support your failures in life by demonstrating fantasy is the only success you posses.
In other words, your an idiot without moral fiber and hide from the realities of your failures and act as your fantasies dictate giving your self the appearance of superiority through your lies and disinformation on the internet.
Don’t feel bad, live your lies, lots of people do it, the internet is all some people have.
Many of us have to live in reality, I’m glad you found an escape here.
Let’s use this as an example of your fascist views,
fromthetrenchesworldreport dot com/michigan-dnr-forces-closure-of-family-run-heritage-hog-farm/150243
The problem here is that these hogs won’t develop a resistance to antibiotics and their traits will pass to their offspring. Also a unbiased demographic analysis will determine that the consumers are healthier. The corporations have a lot at risk here, so they have corrupted the local govt and ruined this family and their business to protect their manipulation of the people and their share holders bottom line, profit.
Ideology cannot be supported by facts or truth, but rather fascist tactics and extreme measures support the continuation of ideology.
In other words you and your like are complete idiots acting in the demise of all freedoms and truth’s.
Very few pharma companies are because they don’t make enough profit. However some are being looked into – see Pubmed 25561178. It ‘could’ lead to a new class of antibiotics too.
Thank you.
Basic Zappers will work as a replacement for all antibiotics. CTBustersdotcom has them for $35.00 or bulk orders of 20 for $340.00. My sweetheart Roz and I use the T-Rx version made by the Croft’s and we have remained unscathed by any cold or flu. My sister has used a Terminator Zapper to completely eliminate the infection from an abscessed tooth. The aforementioned can be found at WorldWithoutParasitesdotcom.