Antibiotic-Resistant Disease Killing Humans and Swine
Antibiotic-Resistant Disease Killing Humans and Swine
The antibiotic-resistant bacteria Extended
Spectrum Beta Lactamase (ESBL) is killing both
people and swine in Denmark.
The bacteria has been implicated in the deaths
of a number of cancer and liver disease
patients. The number of infected patients
jumped 50 percent last year.
Health officials said the bacteria is being
transmitted to humans through pigs. The
increased use of antibiotics in agriculture may
be behind the spread of the resistant strain.
What are ESBLs?
Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamases (ESBLs) are
actually enzymes produced by certain types of
bacteria, which renders the bacteria resistant
to the antibiotics commonly used to treat them.
ESBLs were first discovered in the mid-1980s. At
the time they were mostly found in the
Klebsiella species of bacteria, in hospital
intensive care units. Until recently, few people
were affected by these mutated bacteria and it
didn’t appear to be a major growing concern. (more…)