Dear Reader,
They're called "superbugs" - bacteria so determined to survive
that they adapt to whatever antibiotics we invent to fight them.
This frightening scenario has turned into a dangerous, ongoing
battle, just as we at HSI first predicted it would 6 years ago.
With all the frightening upheavals going on in the world right
now it's easy to overlook the war being waged on a microscopic
level inside our own bodies. But as daunting as it is, the good
news is that there are some essential and easy steps you can
take to protect yourself and your family.
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Michigan battle ground
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But first, the bad news. Two weeks ago, doctors in Michigan
reported the first case of a new bacterium that is completely
resistant to vancomycin - a powerful antibiotic that's so
effective that it's referred to as a "last line of defense."
The new drug-resistant bacterium is a variation on
Staphylococcus aureus (SA), a superbug that sometimes causes
infections in wounds following surgery. SA is the first
bacterium considered to be completely resistant to vancomycin.
The Michigan doctors managed to catch the infection early and
contain it, but they believe that vancomycin-resistant SA will
emerge again.
Fred Tenover of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control led the
bacterial analysis in Michigan, and said that he and his
colleagues fully expect to see more mutated organisms like SA.
For several years scientists have been developing new
antibiotics called linezolid and quinupristin/dalfopristin to
address new mutations of vancomycin-resistant SA. But new
strains of SA have already been identified that are resistant to
the new drugs.
How does SA find a way to overcome the new drugs so quickly?
Gary French, a clinical microbiologist of Guy's & St. Thomas'
Hospital in London believes that the problem lies with doctors
who are not aware of the risks of over-prescribing antibiotics.
French says, "It's extremely worrying."
My feelings exactly. Unfortunately, the dilemma of physicians
who are uninformed is just one part of a large problem that
begins down on the farm.
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Quick fix side effects
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In an e-Alert I sent you last May ("Got Antibiotics?" 5/8/02) I
told you about the deplorable situation on dairy and cattle
farms where farmers routinely force-feed antibiotics to their
livestock to prevent disease.
In recent years, a growing body of research has shown that
antibiotics are grossly overused in dairy and livestock farming
- and that overuse may play a significant role in the
development of human antibiotic resistance.
Think the fear of antibiotics in livestock is inflated? Then
consider this: as much as 80% of the total antibiotic production
in the U.S. is used in agriculture. I don't know about you, but
I find that truly shocking. And it's not used on just dairy
animals, but on every type of livestock and poultry. What's
worse, a substantial portion of it is not even used to fight
disease, but to promote growth.
A University of Maryland study released last spring supported
the conclusion that agricultural antibiotic use may be
introducing new antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria into
the human population. But Richard Lobb doesn't agree. Mr. Lobb
is a spokesman for the National Chicken Council and dismisses
the conclusions of the Maryland study. He defends the use of
antibiotics by poultry farmers, saying, "They are always used in
a responsible manner in the chicken industry."
For some reason I don't feel reassured.
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Your personal homeland security
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Here's a sobering thought: Bacteria can "teach" one another to
resist antibiotics
Bacteria are highly adaptive. When one develops resistance to an
antibiotic, it can pass that resistance to similar and even
unrelated strains. They do this by passing plasmids, which are
DNA-containing organisms, from one to another. Some researchers
have suggested this is the reason some microbes that once caused
diseases only in animals are now also infecting and killing
humans.
The authors of the Maryland study concluded with a
recommendation that authorities regulate and limit the
agricultural use of new antibiotics. Unfortunately this isn't a
"real-world" solution. We've already seen evidence that many
farmers can be quite creative in their efforts to sidestep
regulations and mask their use of antibiotics.
So what can you do in your own home to protect yourself and your
family? If your diet includes dairy, eggs, or meats, choose
organic whenever possible. Organic farmers do not use
antibiotics or growth hormones, and you can now find organic
dairy and meats - clearly marked - in many mainstream
supermarkets. It's also important to cook meats thoroughly and
be diligent in scrubbing cutting boards and utensils.
And of course, anything you can do to boost your immune system
gives your body a much better chance of fighting all bacteria.
In other words, eat your vegetables! Cauliflower, cabbage,
Brussels sprouts and broccoli have all been shown to have a
natural detoxifying effect on your body.
At HSI we regard this growing epidemic of superbugs as one of
our primary concerns. As we bring you further reports about
resistant bacteria and new antibiotics, I'll also be watching
for more information on innovative and natural ways to fight the
good fight on the microscopic level.
Do you have comments, questions or suggestions that you'd like
to share? We're always interested to know what you're thinking.
Just click into the HSI Forum on our website
(www.hsibaltimore.com) and add your voice to this and other
health care discussions.
To Your Good Health,
Jenny Thompson
Health Sciences Institute
Sources:
"Bacteria Defies Last-Resort Antibiotic" Nature News Service,
7/26/02
"Shield Yourself From Deadly "Smart Bugs" HSI Members Alert,
8/1/01
Copyright (c)1997-2002 by Institute of Health Sciences, L.L.C.