A mutant strain of the
superbug E.coli has been found on a British farm
Source of Article: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/3479029/A-mutant-strain-of-the-superbug-E.coli-has-been-found-on-a-British-farm.html A new strain of the superbug version of E.coli has been found on a British dairy farm.
By Richard Alleyne,
Science Correspondent The version of Escherichia coli
O26 is believed to have emerged as a direct result of the heavy use of
antibiotics on farmyard animals. The discovery is the latest in
a number of superbug versions of common food poisoning organisms found both
on British farms and in the food chain. However, this is only the third
time that this type of mutant strain has been found anywhere in the world. The Health Protection Agency
denied there was any danger to public health because the bacteria would be
killed in the pasteurisation process. Other strains of E.coli have emerged over the past two years as well as
new versions of campylobacter, which is the most common cause of food
poisoning. These bugs have been associated
with thousands of infections and deaths, particularly among vulnerable groups
such as the elderly. The problem with these bugs is
that doctors find it difficult to find effective treatments when a human
becomes infected through food or contact with an animal. Recently released minutes of a
Government committee reveal that ministers have been briefed about the
emergence of the mutant E.coli O26 on a British
dairy farm. Infection causes
life-threatening cases of food poisoning, including haemorrhagic
colitis and haemolytic uraemic
syndrome, which are a particular threat to children. Cows are routinely given
antibiotics to prevent udder infection - but there is mounting evidence
antibiotic-resistant bacteria in farm animals is being passed on to humans E. coli O26 is a vera-toxin producing bug, similar to the infamous E. coli
O157, which has been implicated in a number of fatal food poisoning
outbreaks. This is the first time that
this particular bug, with an enhanced antibiotic resistance known as
extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL), has been
found in this country. Superbugs with similar
characteristics already affect an estimated 30,000 people in the The latest discovery has been
revealed by the organic farming and lobby group the Soil Association, which
campaigns against the heavy use of antibiotics in food production. |
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