Growing concern over consistently widespread use of antibiotics on animals farmed for meat production is prevalently rooted now in developing resistance against these cures. Just like humans, the more exposed animals are to antibiotics, the more antibiotic-resistant animal bacteria become.
The brunt is in the use of these antibiotics, not just to fight infections but also, to prevent infections and in some practices to increase animal weight. Furthermore, some antibiotics that are meant for human use are being extensively used on animals. With the range of antibiotic resistance continuing to grow over such indiscriminate use, superbugs are not very far behind. An example is the Escherichia coli (E. coli) strain found in China that, as reported in the Lancet Infectious Diseases, is determined to be highly immune to polymyxins. This resistance is significant as polymyxin, in the form of the drug Colistin, is the last option on this E. coli strain as all other antibiotic groups have failed.
The worry over animal bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics lies in the fact that these bacteria may be passed onto humans for whom treatment may become just as difficult.
Certainly ordinary consumers cannot control what farmers and producers choose to do, but precaution is still the strongest protection. These are some of the more effective safety measures one can take to avoid the risk of superbug infection:
#1 Wash up well after touching, or coming into contact with, any raw meat.
#2 Heat is one of the best defence against bacteria. Eat only thoroughly cooked meat, which should be hot and steaming in all its layers. The meat juice should run clear, without any trace of pink or red.
#3 Store raw meat properly and keep it separate from other food.
#4 Wash all cooking utensils, tools and containers properly - especially if these came in contact with raw food.
#5 Do not use utensils and other implements that were used while cooking to serve the cooked food to avoid spreading any contamination.
#6 Whenever possible take the time to know which meat producers and farmers have an antibiotic-free policy.
