Antibiotics guilty Resistant germs in the meat

Antibiotics guilty Resistant germs in the meat / Health News

Multi-resistant pathogens discovered in much of the meat samples

03/12/2014

Multidrug-resistant pathogens (short MRGN) represent an ever-increasing danger, because now thousands of people die every year in this country from MRGN infections. So far, the germs were mainly found in hospitals, but they are also increasingly detected in livestock and in food. With a terrifying extent, because as a recent study on behalf of the animal rights organization PETA Germany e. V., 65% of the samples tested were contaminated with MRSA and ESBL germs.


MRGN are increasingly resistant to various antibiotics
When „multidrug-resistant pathogens“ (MRGN for short) Gram-negative rod bacteria are referred to, which are increasingly resistant to various antibiotics. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the most well-known pathogens, which frequently occurs in clinics and is often referred to as “hospital bug” is named. In most cases, MRSA only colonize humans without making them ill. But if the bacteria get into the body via wounds or mucous membranes, an infection can break out, which can be difficult due to the insensitivity of the bacterium to many antibiotics. Possible symptoms are skin inflammation or ulcers or abscess and wound infections, but also, for example, a lung or urinary tract infection as well as blood poisoning.

Transmission of pathogens usually takes place in the hospital
The transmission of MRSA takes place in this country, especially in hospitals or nursing homes, because the pathogen occurs where antibiotics are often used, also hold in clinics many weakened people, where it can easily fix. But as the results of a recent study on behalf of the animal rights organization PETA Germany e. V. now shows, "the resistant germs can also be found where they are not necessarily suspected". According to the study, "the meat in local supermarkets" is "in many cases contaminated with MRSA pathogens", with the rarer, but nevertheless potentially dangerous intestinal bacteria „ESBL“ (Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamases) could be detected many times ".

65% of samples loaded with germs
As Peta reports, 57 meat samples from the five retail chains Aldi Süd, Lidl, Edeka, Real and Rewe had been tested in a laboratory for antibiotic-resistant germs. The alarming result: Germs were detected in 65% of the samples analyzed, with 31% of the products being contaminated with MRSA and 45% of the specimens containing the dangerous ESBL. As Peta further reports, in some cases even both pathogens had been found, and the result for the 30 analyzed chicken and turkey meat samples was particularly severe. In 86% of the cases, a germ attack had been shown here. The laboratory also achieved slightly more than 66% of the 12 samples of minced meat..

Tonic use of antibiotics in animal factories
For Peta, however, not too surprising result, instead, according to their own statement for some time on the danger of increasing antibiotic resistance levels: „Where antibiotics are used, resistance increases. In the animal factories, the drugs are given by the ton, because the performance-bred animals would not survive the short time in the unhygienic and not nearly animal-friendly housing conditions”, so Dr. Edmund Haferbeck, Head of the Legal and Scientific Department at PETA Deutschland e. V. Since individual sick animals under these housing conditions are usually not targeted, antibiotics would instead always be administered to the whole stock - which then leads to the dangerous antibiotic resistance. „Due to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, essential medicines are failing, and more than 30,000 people in Germany alone die each year from untreatable infections“, so Dr. Edmund Haferbeck continues.

Quality labels do not offer consumers safe protection against stress
According to Peta, the so-called quality seal can not protect it from the germs, because, as the analysis has shown, almost all of the examined products are compatible with the “QA Seal” been awarded to the consumer quality, safety and security „to suggest an increased level of requirements and controls“. Accordingly, in view of the many meat scandals in recent years never from „safe meat“ be spoken, also fulfill that “QS seal in most cases „only the low legal standards“, writes the animal rights organization. Thus, even in three out of four organic MRSA pathogens were found. Also one of the two examined „PRO PLANET products“ The analysis was positive for germs tested, which is a seal, which awards the REWE Group in cooperation with the nature conservation organization WWF.

Germs can be killed with heat
For the germs, they can basically be killed by heat. When food is heated well above 60 to 70 degrees, as is normally the case when cooking, grilling or frying, the pathogens do not survive. However, low temperatures such as freezing do not kill viruses and bacteria. A spread of the germs can also be prevented with a few precautions. For example, raw meat should never be cut with the same knife as cooked meat or vegetables. Also, the cutting board should then be another. (No)


Image: Cornelia Menichelli