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Antibiotic Drugs Infiltrate Public Waterways

Posted by timothy on from the that-doesn't-sound-good dept.

foobsr writes "ScienceDaily in an article points to research conducted at Colorado State University which produces evidence that antibiotics used for animal growth stimulation are making their way into the environment, among them three ionophore antibiotics exclusively used in agricultural applications."

16 of 38 comments (clear)

  1. Disclaimer: by FooAtWFU · · Score: 4, Informative
    From TFA:
    • these levels are below concentrations that could result in environmental impact or effects on human health
    • "this is still well below safe concentrations for aquatic life and humans."
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    1. Re:Disclaimer: by bigsteve@dstc · · Score: 4, Insightful
      Even so, one of the chief problems with the use of antibiotics as growth promoters is that this drives the evolution of bacteria with antibiotic resistance. For example, there is now a strain of Staphylococcus Auraeus (aka "Golden Staph") that is resistant to all antibiotics approved for human use. If there are now detectable levels of antibiotics in waterways, this can only make things worse.

      Frankly, if I could choose between more expensive chicken meat and dying in 10 years time because of a multi-resistant bacteria infection, I know which option I'd take. But we (the public) don't get to make that choice.

    2. Re:Disclaimer: by dunkelfalke · · Score: 4, Informative

      this is actually the biggest problem, yes. there is a possible way to overcome the problem, though. in ussr, antibiotica were scarce. so the scientists there developed advanced bacteriophages

      --
      Conservatism: The fear that somewhere, somehow, someone you think is your inferior is being treated as your equal.
    3. Re:Disclaimer: by Undefined+Parameter · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Ok, someone help me out, here. We aren't supposed to stop taking antibacterials until the prescription is up, because we might make a more resistant strain... but it's often the case that the bacterial strain we're taking antibiotics for is something that our bodies need. So, if we're whiping out that bacteria in our bodies, isn't that a bad thing?

      I'm pretty sure I'm wrong in what I just said, but I'd like to know where.

      I'd also like to know why it would be good to use a bacteriophage in the first place. It seems like overkill... especially if it whipes out and prevents the re-establishment of bacteria our bodies depend on.

      ~UP

      --
      Eat the Path.
    4. Re:Disclaimer: by Domini · · Score: 5, Insightful


      Actually we do get to choose... at supermarkets you should only buy certified Organic produce.

      Organic milk, eggs, fruit and many more items are available. This certifies the food/medicine given to chickens and cattle to be free of environmentally harmful substances such as antibiotics and repocessed animal products.

    5. Re:Disclaimer: by dunkelfalke · · Score: 4, Interesting

      no, you got it wrong.

      antibiothics are often broadband so they not only kill bacteria which cause the illness but also the bacteria human body needs (like the ones in the digestive tract).

      bacteriophages on the other hand kill only special bacteria strains. so we can cure the illness but leave the good bacteries safe.

      --
      Conservatism: The fear that somewhere, somehow, someone you think is your inferior is being treated as your equal.
    6. Re:Disclaimer: by bigsteve@dstc · · Score: 2, Insightful
      That stops traces of antibiotics going into you, where they may or may not do you harm. But it does not stop the much larger doses being fed to chickens on thousands of non-organic farms, etc. where the resistant bacteria are evolving.

      Unless you can think of a way to persuade just about everyone to boycott non-organic chicken, etc., eating organic does not address this issue. The only solution I can think of is a legislated ban on the use of antibiotics as growth promoters.

  2. Might this cause super-bacterium? by ezraekman · · Score: 4, Interesting

    A few years ago, there was a concern/rumor making the rounds that anti-bacterial soap would cause super-strains of bacteria to appear, having built up resistances to the soaps we use. A roommate asked me once if I thought this meant he should stop using the stuff. At the time, I answered by asking him if he should leave his doors unlocked, to prevent thieves from becoming smarter. However, now that antibiotics have made it out into the environment in a much larger scope, I'm forced to re-think my answer. Any thoughts?

    1. Re:Might this cause super-bacterium? by amorsen · · Score: 4, Insightful
      Thieves are able to learn, but they evolve very slowly. Bacteria are unable to learn, but evolve very quickly. There are perhaps millions of thieves in the world, but the number of bacteria is so large that I won't even guess. Also, we have a whole range of things we can do to deter thieves, whereas with bacteria the weapons are only hygiene, immune system, and antibiotics. Antibiotic resistance is evolved step-by-step in bacteria. If a bunch of bacteria are subjected to a slight amount of antibiotics, a few of them with a tiny bit of resistance can survive and multiply. Then if they are subjected to slightly more antibiotics, the most resistant again survive and multiply, Eventually they are resistant even to high doses.

      Note that this process only starts when there is a low amount of antibiotics in the environment. If there was a lot it would kill them all, even the ones that are highly resistant. So please don't use stuff that exposes bacteria to low amounts. No antibiotic soaps, no antibiotic growth-enhancers, and if you are prescribed antibiotics, don't stop taking them just because you got better. Only stop when the doctor tells you to stop.

      --
      Finally! A year of moderation! Ready for 2019?
    2. Re:Might this cause super-bacterium? by Dr.+Cody · · Score: 4, Interesting

      No antibiotic soaps, no antibiotic growth-enhancers, and if you are prescribed antibiotics, don't stop taking them just because you got better.

      Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't "anti-bacterial," in the context of soap, just as much bullshit as "pH balanced" or "...for women"? (that is to say, purely a marketing term) From what I understand, soap is a rather nasty thing for all household bacteria, and a label such as "anti-bacterial" could be applied at will.

      Add to that, as long as I've lived, I have never recognized an antibiotic's name on a bar of soap's ingredients list.

    3. Re:Might this cause super-bacterium? by ctr2sprt · · Score: 3, Interesting
      Just because some bacteria mutates to become immune to our existing drugs doesn't mean we can't find a new drug. After a hundred years of not using any of 2004's best antibiotics, the new bacteria might just be vulnerable to the stuff we've got now, too, even if it's become immune to the next generation of drugs we develop. And as we understand more about the biology of the situation, in particular how bacteria react in the human body and such, it's possible we can develop "contrasting" drugs. So you first treat an infection with Drug A. This drug is designed to force the bacteria to evolve in a particular way, which makes it vulnerable to Drug B. Drug B does the same but for Drug C. And so on until you remove the bacteria's ability to resist Drug A and you start over again. I'm not sure how plausible or near-term that is, but I can imagine it, so it's not a complete load!

      I should probably shut up, as I'm obviously no biologist. But I have faith that, for the time being at least, medical science is capable of keeping up with this sort of problem.

    4. Re:Might this cause super-bacterium? by dunkelfalke · · Score: 4, Informative

      no, it isn't bullshit. often, triclosan is used as the antiseptic in such soaps. this chemical is very alike to antibiotics and bacteries can and will build up a resistance to it, too. should any antibiotica be used which works the same way, the bacteria would be resistant to that.

      --
      Conservatism: The fear that somewhere, somehow, someone you think is your inferior is being treated as your equal.
    5. Re:Might this cause super-bacterium? by belg4mit · · Score: 2, Insightful

      You should stick with your second paragraph.
      Our antibiotics are derived from the natural
      defenses of molds etc. which took Bob knows
      how long to develop. We won't be able to keep
      churning out "new" antibiotics at the drop of
      a hat, and it sure as hell isn't possible to
      do "breed" bacteria in the wild as you propose.

      --
      Were that I say, pancakes?
  3. Go for Organic. by Domini · · Score: 2, Insightful

    It's slightly more expensive, but we do have a choice to go for Organic produce. I can buy almost anything organic, including steak, eggs, milk, coffee, fruit and vegetables from a local Woolworths.

    But then again, I guess it's difficult to change with such a huge fast-food industry.

  4. Don't forget the Prozac in our water supply... by nano2nd · · Score: 5, Interesting

    From the UK newspaper The Observer back in the summer..

    Stay Calm Everyone!

    Prozac, albeit tiny amounts, now exists in our rivers and groundwater.

    --
    G4 Hackintosh
  5. Excellent! by CodeWanker · · Score: 4, Funny

    Does this mean that drinking out of the jacuzzi in the Asian "Health Spa" I frequent protect me from any love bugs I might get there?

    --


    "Wow. Now THAT'S a lot of angry Indians." - Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer