Democrats in the United States House of Representatives sent a letter to Republicans to hold a hearing on the public health risks of antibiotic resistant bacteria. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released their Vital Signs report this week showing that carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) bacteria have become resistant to “all or nearly all the antibiotics we have today.”
Those superbugs kill half of all patients who are infected. The bacteria were rare in 2000, affecting only 1% of patients. Now they sicken 4.2% of hospital patients. The bacteria can spread their antibiotic resistance to other bacteria as well.
Food Poisoning Bulletin has been reporting on antibiotic resistant bacteria in food for the past year. In October, a new study found that antibiotic resistance comes from treated farm animals.
In the letter, Democrats Henry Waxman, Frank Pallone Jr., and Diana DeGette stated, “we are writing to urge you to hold a hearing on the urgent warnings from public health officials about the risks of dangerous, antibiotic-resistant bacteria…. we believe the Energy and Commerce Committee should hold a hearing on the public health risks from these potentially deadly, antibiotic-resistant bateria. The Committee could hear from officials from officials at CDC and NIH, researchers, and health care providers to examine the causes of the increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, the risks these bacteria pose to the public and the strategies used by hospitals and other health care providers to control the spread of these bacteria and the outbreaks they cause.”
We’ll let you know if there is any response to this request. The last time hearings were held on antibiotic resistance in Congress was 2010.
Farmers use antibiotics by the tons, it makes beef gain weight faster.
And does it do the same in people? That’s the million dollar question.