Taking the Resistance Out of Drug-Resistant Infections

[strmrdr]

Interesting development!
This could save a lot of lives.

http://news.ncsu.edu/news/2009/04/mkmelandercavanagh.php

 

[LaraOnline]

Well thank goodness there is some movement in the area of antibiotic resistance...
A vastly under-explored area of antibiotic abuse is on dairy farms.

I don't know how dairy farmers manage their herds in the US, but over here, farmers have very little knowledge or consideration for how antibiotics work.

The dairy industry is a huge user of antibiotic medicines.

Yet propoer antibiotic use is not legislated for, and the farmers refuse to adhere to good practice, such as swabbing a test-batch of dairy cows annually for antibiotic resistance. Usually, they object because of cost (a grand total of a couple of hundred A$ per year).

If one form of antibiotic preparation is not working, they simply decide to 'try another one'.

If the vet recommends a swab, and objects to providing them with their choice of antibiotic (they select by pinting at the box over the counter), the farmers refuse to co-operate and simply move on to another veterinary service.

The legislative pressure is on the vet to ensure antibiotic compliance, but in fact the farmers have the ability to send vets broke - and the farmers know it, so refuse to comply.

Meanwhile, stapph infections are brewing... this is a MASSIVE issue that no-one can be bothered tackling the farmers on in Australia!!!