The first article, "Antibiotic Resistance 101," focuses on how the misuse of antibiotic in factory farms can make individuals sick. The CDC saw that at least 2 million Americans each year experience these infections and there are at least 23,000 deaths. Approximately, 22% of those infections originate from foodborne pathogens. Overall, the article recommends that Congress must pass an act that would pan non-therapeutic uses of antibiotics in livestock, the FDA should address improving data collection on the use of antibiotics and the development of antibiotic resistance, government agencies should collaborate to increase research, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture should train and assist livestock producers that are transitioning away from non-therapeutic antibiotic use.
The second article, "Antimicrobials in Hospital Furnishings," focuses on the benefits, risks, tradeoffs, and cost implications of adding antimicrobials to furnishings are active areas of research. Also, these recommendations are based on the state of science. Healthcare providers must be aware of the microbes in hospital settings and how they can protect patients. The third article, "Scientists Discover That Antimicrobial Wipes and Soaps May Be Making You (and Society) Sick" focus on how we need to be more aggressive in hospital setting in terms of making sure soaps are clean. a lot of microbes live on soap and there is a potential for it to make us sick.
The last article focuses on the how nearby livestock may raise a 'superbug' risk. MRSA was found in increasing frequency in community-dwelling individuals with no known contact with livestock. The studies that need to be the primary focus is that the finding should investigate the relationship between intensive livestock operations in the U.S. and the exposures to drug-resistant microbes. There also needs to be a cause-and-effect relationship.
Hi Snay,
ReplyDeleteIts alarming to say the least to see the impact of over antibiotic use and resistant strains of pathogens we're creating ourselves. Over the past 2 years I've seen an increase in dairy products stating that no rBST and no antibiotics used in poultry products.
Prior to reading these articles, I had no idea that antimicrobial-infused furnishings existed. I see how they could be an attractive option in medical settings to prevent contagious bacteria from transferring to other hosts, but as an informed community member, I can also see how harmful they can be. I think it's important for providers and anyone who works in a medical setting to receive some form of education about these supplies, in order to help them make informed decisions when choosing furniture for their office spaces. Do the benefits truly outweigh the possible outcomes?
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