In this article we show you the problems associated with the irresponsible use of antibiotics in healthcare and in the raising of livestock.  The development of the bacteria Super Strains has life threatening implications.

The two major causes of illness are viruses and bacteria.  The virus is relatively impervious to antibiotics.  If you are over the age of 50, you have probably been familiar with your own illness or someone with whom you are aware, that would probably have died if antibiotics were not available.

Unfortunately, the family doctor, in his quest to please his patient, has prescribed antibiotics in situations that they could not be effective, but rather were simply requested by his patient.   This has the unfortunate effect of building immunity to that patient's response to that particular antibiotic.  Slowly but surely the various bacteria are developing a resistance to the different classes of antibiotics.  The hospitals are being confronted with Super Bacteria such as MRSA.  The latest antibiotic, Zyvox, was developed specifically for the treatment of MRSA. But just four years after its development, resistance is emerging.

A October 2007 report in the Journal of the American Medical Association estimates that in 2005, 94,360 U.S. patients contacted an invasive infection from the antibiotic-resistantstaphylococcus(MRSA) and that 18,650 of these patients died.

You would think that with such a problem emerging, the pharmaceutical companies would be putting forth maximum efforts in developing new and more effective antibiotics.  Unlike cholesterol or diabetes drugs, antibiotics are only used for a short time and then discontinued.  Antibiotics also have the problem of becoming obsolete as resistance is developed by the bacteria.

For example, in the year 2002, something like 400 new pharmaceutical agents were licensed by the FDA.  In that year, there were no new antibiotics among them.  In the last few years, there has only been one or two per year presented by the major pharmaceutical firms.

Politically, there is movement toward taking the Bush proposal such as "BioShield" by simply giving the pharmaceutical firms a lump sum to create these required antibiotics.

The irresponsible use of antibiotics in the healthcare area is a serious concern, but unfortunately is not the total problem.  When livestock production changed from grazing to the feed lot method, the animal's natural food were changed to grain.  This change in the animal's food supply and the unsanitary environment in which it was confined required large amounts of antibiotics to maintain the animal's health.  Presently, livestock production accounts for 70% of the world's usage of antibiotic.

The reckless use of antibiotics in the rising and production of livestock has developed the antibiotic-resistant Super bug Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamase (ESBL).

The law of unintended consequences immediately came into play.  The change in the food to grain (mainly corn) raised the acidity in the animal's stomach.  The E. coli became accustomed to the high acidity and when contained in the harvested meat is now not destroyed by the acidity in the digestive tract of the human.  An E. coli problem 50 years ago generally experienced a mild illness.  This is surely responsible for the heightened prevalence of E. coli 0157:H7 illness.  Today, someone eating an undercooked hamburger could very well die.  Unfortunately the antibiotics contained in the same harvested meat, had become ineffective to the antibiotic resistant E. coli, but will have the effect of making the consumer immune to that same antibiotic.

This change in the production of livestock also has some other less obvious health concerns.  The meat as presently being produced, has 1/5 of the CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid) and the Omeg3.  Both of these beneficial ingredients have been reduced to 20-30% of their previous levels.  This change in Omega-6 to Omega-3 from a healthy 5:1 ratio to an unhealthy inflammatory level of 30:1 ratio could well be the reason for the present epidemic we are now experiencing in the inflammatory illness problems, while the reduction of CLA has been closely linked to obesity.

With the large amount of statistical data one might surmise that the banning of the use of antibiotics in the production of livestock would be quite straight forward.  This use of antibiotics for this purpose is 70% of the total antibiotics used for all purposes.  The FDA in August of 1997 did finally ban the agricultural use of fluoroquinolones which is one widely used class of antimicrobials.  The Bayer Corporation vehemently opposed this action. Because of the huge volume of product involved, there was no way for them to replace this market with human consumption.

Your options for procuring an antibiotic, contamination free food supply for you and your family are somewhat limited.  Obviously having your own garden to grow your own produce would be ideal.  If this is too much effort or impractical, it might be possible to become acquainted with some local famers that are using organic methods of production.  Some urban areas are sponsoring agricultural programs that give access to healthy locally grown foods while living in the center of a large city.

When considering your meat products, you should make an effort to only purchase grass fed cattle that seldom need the antibiotics required in a feed lot.  There are other health benefits for cattle produced while being grass fed.  Cage free chicken generally will also be antibiotic free.