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 Antibiotics in Animal Feed. Are they Dangerous?


Antiobiotics are so much a part of our daily lives that we take them for granted. If we get sick, we assume that there will be an antibiotic to fight the bacteria responsible for our illness. In the near future, however, that may not be the case.

Every year in the United States, nearly 25 million pounds on antibiotics are placed in animal feeds, versus just 3 million pounds used to fight infections in humans. In October 2001, the New England Journal of Medicine called for a ban on the routine use of antibiotics in animal feed. Are the editors of this distinguished medical journal right?

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Web Resources on Antibiotics:

Behind Enemy Lines
A 2001 Scientific American article on research efforts to combat antibiotic resistance in bacteria.

Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics
An organization of health professionals dedicated to preventing the misuse of antibiotics.

When Antibiotics Quit Working...
From the "Why Files."

The Rise of Antibiotic-Resistant Infections
An article by scientist-author Ricki Lewis on the dangers prersented to public health by the increasing incidence of antibitoic resistance in bacteria.

The Problem of Antibiotic Resistance
A fact sheet from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control)

The Spread of Antibiotic Resistance
An article from the Medical Reporter.

The Human Gut - Breeding Ground for Antibiotic Resistance
More is happening in your stomach than you might expect!

Waterways and Antibiotic Resistance
The presence of antibiotics in the environment makes it possible for waterways to spread bacterial resistance to antibiotics.

 

 

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